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THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


ENDOWED  BY  THE 
DIALECTIC  AND  PHILANTHROPIC 
School  of  Information  &  SOCIETIES 
library  Science  Library 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


PRESENTED  BY 


John  Matthews 


BOOKS  BY 

MARGARET  SIDNEY 

A  LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD  TOWN 

Illustrated  by  Frank  T.  Merrill  Price,  $i.jo 

A  LITTLE  MAID   OF  BOSTON  TOWN 

Illustrated  by  Frank  T.  Merrill  Price,  $1.50 

THE  FAMOUS  PEPPER  BOOKS 

IN     ORDER     OF     PUBLICATION 

Eleven  Volumes        Illustrated        Price  per  volume,  $1.50 

FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  AND  HOW  THEY  GREW 

FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  MIDWAY 

FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  GROWN  UP 

PHRONSIE  PEPPER 

THE  STOREES  POLLY  PEPPER  TOLD 

THE  ADVENTURES   OF  JOEL  PEPPER 

FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  ABROAD 

FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  AT  SCHOOL 

FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  AND  THEIR  FRIENDS 

BEN  PEPPER 

FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    IN   THE    LITTLE   BROWN 
HOUSE  

LOTHROP,   LEE   &   SHEPARD   CO.,   BOSTON 


*i 


S£  You  said  'little  brown  house',"  cried  Polly. — Page  101. 


FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS 


MIDWAY 


i     : 


BY 


MARGARET   SIDNEY 

Author  of  "  Five  Little  Peppers  and  How  They  Grew,1 
"  Five  Little  Peppers  Grown  Up,"  etc. 


ILLUSTRA  TED  B  Y  HERMANN  HE  YER 


BOSTON 

LOTHROP,    LEE    &    SHEPARD    CO. 


&         PEPPER        <$ 

TBADE-MAHK 

Registered  in  U.  S.  Patent  Office. 


Copyright,  1890  and  1893, 

BY 

D.  Lothrop  Company. 


A  U  rights  reserved. 


One  Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  Thousand. 


TSforfooofo  press 

Berwick  &  Smith  Co.,  Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


TO 

MY  LITTLE   MARGARET 

WHO    IS    PHRONSIE    PEPPER   TO    ALL 
WHO    KNOW   HER 

THIS    BOOK   IS    LOVINGLY   INSCRIBED 


CONTENTS 


I. 

Phronsie's  Pie     ... 

ii 

II. 

Cousin  Eunice  Chatterton    . 

30 

III. 

The  Rehearsal  .... 

44 

IV. 

61 

V. 

81 

VI. 

The  Little  Brown  House 

98 

VII. 

Old  Times  Again       . 

114 

VIII. 

Some  Badgertown  Calls 

J3i 

IX. 

A  Sudden  Blow  . 

147 

X. 

The  Party  Separates 

162 

XI. 

Poor  Polly!         . 

178 

XII. 

New  Work  for  Polly 

197 

XIII. 

A  Piece  of  News       . 

218 

XIV. 

Mamsee's  Wedding     . 

235 

XV. 

Mrs.  Chatterton  Has  a  New  Plai 

T     253 

XVI. 

Where  Is  Phronsie? 

267 

XVII. 

Phronsie  Is  Found     . 

282 

XVIII. 

The  Girls  Have  Polly  Again 

298 

XIX. 

Phronsie  Is  Well  Again 

314 

XX. 

The  Secret 

33* 

XXI. 

The  Whitneys'  Little  Plan  . 

344 

XXII. 

Joel 

362 

XXIII. 

Of  Many  Things       . 

382 

XXIV. 

403 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

"  YOU    SAID    '  LITTLE    BROWN    HOUSE,'  "    CRIED 

Polly  (Page  101)  .       .       .      Frontispiece 

FACING    PAGE 

"  I'd  much  rather  be  a  dragon  than  a 

princess  " 60 

"  It's  really  here!  "  cried  Phronsie  .       .116 

"  This  eye  won't  stay  in  just  like  the 

other  " 138 

And  Phronsie  must  fasten  Mamsie's  pearl 
brooch  in  her  lace  collar  the  very 
last  thing 252 

"  Please  don't  bite  me  !  "       .       .       .       .     270 

"  Go  back!    You'll  be  killed!  "  cried  Mrs. 

Chatterton 334 

"  This  doll  is  for  you.  I've  told  her  about 
your  dog,  and  she's  a  little  fright- 
ened " 410 


Five  Little  Peppers 
Midway 


CHAPTER    I. 

phronsie's  pie. 

"JEFFERSON,"  said  Phronsie,  with  a  grave 
uplifting  of  her  eyebrows,  "  I  think  I  will 
go  down  into  the  kitchen  and  bake  a  pie;    a 
very  little  pie,  Jefferson." 

"  Bless  you,  Miss,"  replied  the  cook,  show- 
ing his  white  teeth  in  glee,  "  it  is  the  making 
of  the  kitchen  when  you  come  into  it." 

"  Yes,  Jefferson,"  said  Phronsie  slowly,  "  I 
think  I  will  go  down  and  make  one.  It  must 
be  very,  very  full  of  plums,  you  know,"  look- 
ing up  at  him  anxiously,  "  for  Polly  dearly 
loves  plums." 

II 


12         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  It  shall  be  that  plummy,"  said  Jefferson 
convincingly,  "  that  you'd  think  you  never  saw 
such  a  one  for  richness.  O  my !  what  a  pie 
that  shall  be !  "  exclaimed  the  cook,  shutting  up 
one  eye  to  look  through  the  other  in  a  spasm  of 
delight  at  an  imaginary  pie;  "  so  it's  for  Miss 
Mary,  is  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Phronsie,  "  it  is.  Oh,  Jefferson, 
I'm  so  glad  you  like  to  have  me  make  one," 
she  clasped  her  hands  in  silent  rapture,  and  sat 
down  on  the  lowest  stair  to  think  it  over  a  bit, 
Jefferson  looking  at  her,  forgetful  that  the 
under  cook  was  fuming  in  the  deserted  domains 
over  his  delay  to  return.  At  last  he  said,  bow- 
ing respectfully,  "  If  you  please,  Miss,  it's 
about  time  to  begin.  Such  a  pie  ain't  done 
without  a  deal  of  care,  and  we'd  best  have  it 
a-baking  as  soon  as  may  be." 

"  Yes,"  said  Phronsie,  getting  off  from  her 
stair,  and  surrendering  her  hand  to  his  big 
black  palm,  "  we  ought  to  go  right  this  very 
minute.  But  I  must  get  my  apron  on;"  she 
stopped  and  looked  down  at  her  red  dress. 

"  Oh!  you  can  take  one  of  my  aprons,"  said 
the  cook,  "  they're  as  fine,  and  big,  and  white, 


PHRONSIE'S    PIE 


13 


and  I'll  just  put  you  in  one  of  'em  and  tie  you 
up  as  snug ;  you'll  come  out  as  clean  and  sweet 
when  we're  through,  as  you  are  now,  Miss." 

"Tie  me  up?"  laughed  Phronsie  in  glee. 
"  Oh !  how  nice,  Jefferson.  Do  you  know  I 
love  you  very  much,  Jefferson,  you're  so  very 
good  to  me?  " 

The  big  fellow  drew  a  long  breath.  "  No, 
Miss,  I'm  big  and  black,  and  just  fit  to  stay 
down-stairs,"  he  managed  to  say. 

"  But  I  love  you  better  because  you  are  black, 
Jefferson,"  insisted  Phronsie,  "  a  great  deal 
better.  You  are  not  like  everybody  else, 
but  you  are  just  yourself,"  clinging  to  his 
hand. 

"Well,  Miss,  I  ain't  just  fit  for  a  lily  to 
touch  and  that's  the  truth,"  looking  down  at  his 
palm  that  the  small  white  hand  grasped  closely. 
"  It's  clean,  Miss,"  he  added  with  pardonable 
pride,  "  but  it's  awful  black." 

"  I  like  it  better  black,  Jefferson,"  said 
Phronsie  again,  "  really  and  truly  I  do,  because 
then  it's  your  very,  very  own;  "  in  a  tone  that 
thrilled  him  much  as  if  a  queen  had  knighted 
him  on  the  spot. 


14 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


This  important  declaration  over,  the  two  set 
forth  on  their  way  toward  the  kitchen,  Phronsie 
clinging  to  his  hand,  and  chatting  merrily  over 
the  particular  pie  in  prospect,  with  varied  re- 
marks on  pies  in  general,  that  by  and  by  would 
be  ventured  upon  if  this  present  one  were  a 
success  —  and  very  soon  tied  up  in  one  of  the 
cook's  whitest  aprons  she  was  seated  with  due 
solemnity  at  the  end  of  the  baking  table,  the 
proper  utensils  and  materials  in  delightful  con- 
fusion before  her,  and  the  lower  order  of 
kitchen  satellites  revolving  around  her,  and 
Jefferson  the  lesser  sphere. 

"  Now  all  go  back  to  your  work,"  said  that 
functionary  when  he  considered  the  staring  and 
muttered  admiration  had  been  indulged  in  long 
enough,  "  and  leave  us." 

"  I  want  you,"  said  his  assistant,  touching 
his  elbow. 

"  Clear  out,"  said  Jefferson  angrily,  his  face 
turned  quite  from  Phronsie. 

But  she  caught  the  tone  and  immediately 
laid  down  the  bit  of  dough  she  was  mould- 
ing. 

"  Do    go,"    she    begged,    "  and    come    back 


PHRONSIE'S    PIE  15 

quickly,"  smiling  up  into  his  face.  "  See,  I'm 
going  to  pat  and  pat  and  pat,  oh !  ever  so  much 
before  you  come  back." 

So  Jefferson  followed  the  under  cook,  the 
scullery  boy  went  back  to  cleaning  the  knives, 
Susan,  the  parlor  maid  who  was  going  through 
the  kitchen  with  her  dustpan  and  broom,  hur- 
ried off"  with  a  backward  glance  or  two,  and 
Phronsie  was  left  quite  alone  to  hum  her  way 
along  in  her  blissful  culinary  attempt. 

"  Bless  me!  "  exclaimed  a  voice  close  to  her 
small  ear,  as  she  was  attempting  for  the  fifth 
time  to  roll  out  the  paste  quite  as  thin  as  she 
had  seen  Jefferson  do,  "  what  is  this  ?  Bless 
my  soul !  it's  Phronsie !  " 

Phronsie  set  down  the  heavy  rolling-pin  and 
turned  in  her  chair  with  a  gleeful  laugh. 

"  Dear,  dear  Grandpapa !  "  she  cried,  clasp- 
ing her  floury  hands,  "  oh !  I'm  so  glad  you've 
come  to  see  me  make  a  pie  all  by  myself.  It's 
for  Polly,  and  it's  to  be  full  of  plums;  Jeffer- 
son let  me  make  it." 

"  Jefferson?  And  where  is  he,  pray?  "  cried 
Mr.  King  irately.  "  Pretty  fellow,  to  bring 
you  down  to  these  apartments,  and  then  go  off 


16         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

and  forget  you.  Jefferson !  "  he  called  sharply, 
"  here,  where  are  you?  " 

"  O,  Grandpapa!"  exclaimed  Phronsie  in 
dire  distress,  "  I  sent  him ;  Jefferson  didn't 
want  to  go,  Grandpapa  dear,  really  and  truly, 
he  went  because  I  asked  him." 

"  If  you  please,  sir,"  began  Jefferson,  hurry- 
ing up,  "  I  only  stepped  off  a  bit  to  the  cellar. 
Bassett  sent  down  a  lot  of  turnips,  they  ain't 
first-rate,  and  "  — • 

"  All  right,"  said  Mr.  King,  cutting  him 
short  with  a  wave  of  his  hand,  "  if  Miss  Phron- 
sie sent  you  off,  it's  all  right;  I  don't  want  to 
hear  any  more  elaborate  explanations." 

"  Little  Miss  hasn't  been  alone  but  a  few 
minutes,"  said  Jefferson  in  a  worried  way. 

"  And  see,"  said  Phronsie,  turning  back  to 
her  efforts,  while  one  hand  grasped  the  old 
gentleman's  palm,  "  I've  almost  got  it  to  look 
like  Jefferson's.  Almost,  haven't  I  ? "  she 
asked,  regarding  it  anxiously. 

"  It  will  be  the  most  beautiful  pie,"  cried  Mr. 
King,  a  hearty  enthusiasm  succeeding  his  irri- 
tability, "  that  ever  was  baked.  I  wish  you'd 
make  me  one  sometime,  Phronsie." 


PHRONSIE'S    PIE  17 

"  Do  you?  "  she  cried  in  a  tremor  of  delight, 
"  and  will  you  really  have  it  on  the  table,  and 
cut  it  with  Aunt  Whitney's  big  silver  knife?  " 

"  That  I  will,"  declared  Mr.  King  solemnly. 

"  Then  some  day  I'll  come  down  here  again, 
Jefferson,"  cried  Phronsie  in  a  transport,  "  and 
bake  one  for  my  dear  Grandpapa.  That  is,  if 
this  one  is  good.  Oh!  you  do  suppose  it  will 
be  good,  don't  you  ?  "  appealingly  at  him. 

"  It  shall,"  said  Jefferson  stoutly,  and  seiz- 
ing the  rolling-pin  with  extreme  determination. 
"  You  want  a  bit  more  butter  worked  in,  here," 
a  dab  with  skillful  fingers,  and  a  little  manipu- 
lation with  the  flour,  a  roll  now  and  then  most 
deftly,  and  the  paste  was  laid  out  before  Phron- 
sie.    "  Now,  Miss,  you  can  put  it  in  the  dish." 

"  But  it  isn't  my  pie,"  said  Phronsie,  and,  big 
girl  as  she  felt  herself  to  be,  she  sat  back  in  her 
chair,  her  lower  lip  quivering. 

"  Not  your  pie?  "  repeated  the  cook,  bring- 
ing himself  up  straight  to  gaze  at  her. 

"  No,"  said  Phronsie,  shaking  her  yellow 
head  gravely,  "  it  isn't  my  pie  now,  Jefferson. 
You  put  in  the  things,  and  rolled  it." 

"  Leave  your  fingers  off  from  it,  can't  you?  " 


ig         FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

cried  Mr.  King  sharply.  "  Goodness !  this  pie 
isn't  to  have  a  professional  touch  about  it.  Get 
some  more  flour  and  stuff,  whatever  it  is  you 
make  a  pie  of,  and  let  her  begin  again.  There, 
I'll  sit  down  and  watch  you;  then  there'll  be 
some  chance  of  having  things  straight."  So  he 
drew  up  a  chair  to  the  side  of  the  table,  first 
calling  off  Pete,  the  scullery  boy,  from  his 
knives  to  come  and  wipe  it  off  for  him,  and 
Mrs.  Tucker  who  was  in  kitchen  dialect 
"  Tucker,"  to  see  that  the  boy  did  his  work 
well. 

"  Lor'  bless  you,  sir,"  said  Tucker,  bestow- 
ing a  final  polish  with  her  apron,  "  'twas  like 
satin  before,  sir  —  not  a  wisp  of  dust." 

"  I  don't  want  any  observations  from  you," 
said  the  old  gentleman,  depositing  himself  in 
the  chair.  "  There,  you  can  go  back  to  your 
work,  Mrs.  Tucker,  and  you  too,  Pete.  Now 
I'll  see  that  this  pie  is  to  your  liking,  Phronsie." 

But  Phronsie  still  sat  back  in  her  chair, 
thoughtfully  surveying  Jefferson. 

"  Grandpapa,"  she  said  at  last  slowly,  "  I 
think  I'd  rather  have  the  first  pie,  I  really 
would,  Grandpapa,  may  I  ?  "  She  brought  her 


PHRONSIE'S   PIE 


19 


yellow  head  forward  by  a  sudden  movement, 
and  looked  deep  into  his  keen  eyes. 

"  Bless  my  soul !  Rather  have  the  first  pie  ?  " 
repeated  the  old  gentleman  in  astonishment, 
"  why,  I  thought  you  wanted  to  make  one  all 
yourself." 

"  I  think  I'd  rather  do  part  of  it,"  said 
Phronsie  with  great  deliberateness,  "  then 
Polly'll  like  it,  and  eat  it,  and  I'll  do  yours, 
Grandpapa  dear,  just  as  Jefferson  fixed  mine, 
all  alone.  Please  let  me."  She  held  him  fast 
with  her  eyes,  and  waited  for  his  answer. 

"  So  you  shall !  "  cried  Mr.  King  in  great 
satisfaction,  "  make  mine  all  alone.  This  one 
would  better  go  as  it  is.  Put  away  the  flour 
and  things,  Jefferson;  Miss  Phronsie  doesn't 
want  them." 

Phronsie  gave  a  relieved  little  sigh.  "  And, 
Jefferson,  if  you  hadn't  showed  me  how,  I 
couldn't  ever  in  all  this  world  make  Grand- 
papa's.   Now  give  me  the  little  plate,  do." 

"  Here  'tis,  Miss,"  said  the  cook,  all  his 
tremor  over  the  blunder  he  had  made,  disap- 
pearing, since,  after  all,  things  were  quite 
satisfactory.    And  the  little  plate  forthcoming, 


20         FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

Phronsie  tucked  away  the  paste  lovingly  in  its 
depths,  and  began  the  important  work  of  con- 
cocting the  mixture  with  which  the  pie  was  to 
be  filled,  Mr.  King  sitting  by  with  the  gravity 
of  a  statue,  even  to  the  deliberate  placing  of 
each  plum. 

"Where's  Phronsie?"  called  a  voice  above 
in  one  of  the  upper  halls. 

"  Oh !  she's  coming,  Polly  is !  "  cried  Phron- 
sie, deserting  a  plum  thrust  in  endwise  in  the 
middle  of  the  pie,  to  throw  her  little  sticky 
fingers  around  Jefferson's  neck ;  "  oh !  do  take 
off  my  apron;  and  let  me  go.  She'll  see  my 
pie!" 

"  Stop !  "  cried  Mr.  King,  getting  up  some- 
what stiffly  to  his  feet,  "  I'll  take  off  the  apron 
myself.  There,  Phronsie,  there  you  are. 
Whew !  how  hot  you  keep  your  kitchen,  Jeffer- 
son," and  he  wiped  his  face. 

"  Now  we'll  run,"  said  Phronsie  softly,  "  and 
not  make  a  bit  of  noise,  Grandpapa  dear, 
and,  Jefferson,  please  put  on  my  top  to  the  pie, 
and  don't  let  it  burn,  and  I'll  come  down  very, 
very  soon  again,  and  bake  one  all  alone  by  my- 
self for  Grandpapa." 


PHRONSIE'S    PIE  21 

The  old  gentleman  kept  up  very  well  with  the 
soft  patter  of  her  feet  till  they  reached  the  foot 
of  the  staircase.  "  There,  there,  child,"  he  said, 
"  there's  not  the  least  need  of  hurry  now." 

"  But  she  will  come  down,"  said  Phronsie,  in 
gentle  haste  pulling  at  his  hand,  "  then  if  she 
should  see  it,  Grandpapa !  " 

"  To  be  sure ;  that  would  indeed  be  dread- 
ful," said  Mr.  King,  getting  over  the  stairs 
very  creditably.  "  There,  here  we  are  now. 
Whew !  it's  terribly  warm  in  this  house !  " 

But  there  was  no  danger  from  Polly;  she 
was  at  this  very  instant,  not  being  able  to  find 
Phronsie,  hurring  off  toward  the  library  in 
search  of  Mrs.  Whitney. 

"We  want  to  do  the  very  loveliest  thing!  " 
she  cried,  rushing  in,  her  cheeks  aflame.  "  Oh ! 
pray  excuse  me ;  "  she  stopped  short,  blushing 
scarlet. 

"Don't  feel  badly,  Polly  dear,"  said  Mrs. 
Whitney,  over  in  the  dim  light,  where  the  divan 
was  drawn  up  in  the  east  window,  and  she  held 
out  her  hand  and  smiled ;  the  other  lady  whose 
tete-a-tete  was  thus  summarily  disturbed  was 
elderly  and  very  tall  and  angular.     She  put  up 


22         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

her  eyeglass  at  the  intrusion  and  murmured 
"Ah?" 

"  This  is  Polly  Pepper,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney, 
as  Polly,  feeling  unusually  awkward  and  shy, 
stumbled  across  the  library  to  get  within  the 
kind  arms  awaiting  her. 

"  One  of  the  children  that  your  kindness  re- 
ceived in  this  house?  "  said  the  tall  lady,  making 
good  use  of  the  eyeglass.  The  color  mounted 
steadily  on  Polly's  already  rosy  cheek,  at  the 
scrutiny  now  going  on  with  the  greatest  free- 
dom. 

"  One  of  the  dear  children  who  make  this 
house  a  sunny  place  for  us  all,"  said  Mrs.  Whit- 
ney distinctly. 

"  Ah  ?  I  see.  You  are  extremely  good  to 
put  it  in  that  way."  A  low,  well-bred  laugh 
followed  this  speech.  Its  sound  irritated  the 
young  girl's  ear  unspeakably,  and  the  brown 
eyes  flashed,  and  though  there  was  really  no 
occasion  to  feel  what  was  not  addressed  to  her, 
Polly  was  quite  sure  she  utterly  disliked  the 
lady  before  her. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Chatterton,"  said  Mrs.  Whit- 
ney in  the  gentlest  of  accents,   "  you  do  not 


PHRONSIE'S    PIE 


23 


comprehend;  it  is  not  possible  for  you  to  un- 
derstand how  very  happy  we  all  are  here.  The 
house  is  quite  another  place,  I  assure  you,  from 
the  abode  you  saw  last  before  you  went 
abroad." 

Mrs.  Chatterton  gave  another  low,  unpleas- 
ant laugh,  and  this  time  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  Polly  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney  with  a 
smile,  "  say  good-morning  to  Mrs.  Chatterton, 
and  then  run  away.  I  will  hear  your  wonder- 
ful plan  by  and  by.  I  shall  be  glad  to,  child," 
she  was  guilty  of  whispering  in  the  small  ear. 

"  Good-morning,  Mrs.  Chatterton,"  said 
Polly  slowly,  the  brown  eyes  looking  steadily 
into  the  traveled  and  somewhat  seamed  coun- 
tenance before  her. 

"  Good-morning,"  and  Polly  found  herself 
once  more  across  the  floor,  and  safely  out  in  the 
hall,  the  door  closed  between  them. 

"  Who  is  she  ?  "  she  cried  in  an  indignant 
spasm  to  Jasper,  who  ran  up,  and  she  lifted  her 
eyes  brimming  over  with  something  quite  new 
to  him.    He  stopped  aghast. 

"  Who  ?  "  he  cried.  "  Oh,  Polly !  what  has 
happened  ?" 


24 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


"  Mrs.  Chatterton.  And  she  looked  at  me 
,.  —  oh!  I  can't  tell  you  how  she  looked ;  as  if  I 
were  a  bug,  or  a  hateful  worm  beneath  her," 
cried  Polly,  quite  as  much  aghast  at  herself. 
"  It  makes  me  feel  horridly,  Jasper  —  you  can't 
think." 

"  Oh !  that  old  "  —  He  stopped,  pulling  him- 
self up  with  quite  an  effort.  "  Has  she  come 
back  —  what  brought  her,  pray  tell,  so 
soon  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,  I  am  sure,"  said  Polly,  laugh- 
ing at  his  face.  "  I  was  only  in  the  room  a 
moment,  I  think,  but  it  seemed  an  age  with  that 
eyeglass,  and  that  hateful  little  laugh." 

"  Oh !  she  always  sticks  up  that  thing  in  her 
eye,"  said  Jasper  coolly,  "  and  she's  everlast- 
ingly ventilating  that  laugh  on  everybody.  She 
thinks  it  high-bred  and  elegant,  but  it  makes 
people  want  to  kill  her  for  it."  He  looked  and 
spoke  annoyed.  "  To  think  you  fell  into  her 
clutches !  "  he  added. 

"  Well,  who  is  she?  "  cried  Polly,  smoothing 
down  her  ruffled  feathers,  when  she  saw  the 
effect  of  her  news  on  him.  "  I  should  dearly 
love  to  know." 


PHRONSIE'S    PIE  25 

"  Cousin  Algernon's  wife,"  said  Jasper 
briefly. 

"And  who  is  she?"  cried  Polly,  again  ex- 
periencing a  shock  that  this  dreadful  person 
was  a  relative  to  whom  due  respect  must  be 
shown. 

"Oh!  a  cousin  of  father's,"  said  Jasper. 
"  He  was  nice,  but  he's  dead." 

"Oh!"  said  Polly. 

"  She's  been  abroad  for  a  good  half-dozen 
years,  and  why  she  doesn't  stay  there  when 
everybody  supposed  she  was  going  to,  as- 
tonishes me,"  said  Jasper,  after  a  moment. 
"  Well,  it  will  not  be  for  long,  I  presume,  that 
we  shall  have  the  honor;  she'll  be  easily  tired 
of  America,  and  take  herself  off  again." 

"  She  doesn't  stay  in  this  house,  does  she, 
Jasper?  "  cried  Polly  in  a  tone  of  horror. 

"  No ;  that  is,  unless  she  chooses  to,  then  we 
can't  turn  her  off.    She's  a  relative,  you  know." 

"  Hasn't  she  any  home  ?  "  asked  Polly,  "  or 
any  children  ?  " 

"Home?  Yes,  an  estate  down  in  Bedford 
County  —  Dunraven  Lodge ;  but  it's  all  shut 
up,  and  in  the  hands  of  agents  who  have  been 


26         FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

trying  for  the  half-dozen  years  she  was  abroad, 
to  sell  it  for  her.  She  may  have  come  back  to 
settle  down  there  again,  there's  no  telling  what 
she  will  do.  In  the  meantime,  I  fancy  she'll 
make  her  headquarters  here,"  he  said  gloomily. 

"  Oh,  Jasper !  "  exclaimed  Polly,  seizing  his 
arm,  feeling  that  here  was  need  of  comfort  in- 
deed, "  how  very  dreadful !  Don't  you  suppose 
something  will  happen  to  take  her  away  ?  " 

"  I  don't  see  what  can,"  said  Jasper,  prolong- 
ing the  gloom  to  feel  the  comfort  it  brought. 
"  You  see  she  has  nobody  who  wants  her,  to 
step  in  and  relieve  us.  She  has  two  nephews, 
but  oh !   you  ought  to  see  them  fight !  " 

"  Fight?  "  repeated  Polly  aghast. 

"  Yes;  you  can't  dignify  their  skirmishes  by 
any  other  name,"  said  Jasper,  in  disgust.  "  So 
you  see  our  chances  for  keeping  her  as  long  as 
she  condescends  to  stay,  are  really  very  good." 

Polly  clung  to  his  arm  in  speechless  dismay. 
Meanwhile  conversation  fast  and  brisk  was 
going  on  between  the  two  shut  up  in  the  library. 

"  It  is  greatly  to  your  discredit,  Marian," 
said  Mrs.  Chatterton  in  a  high,  cold  voice,  "that 
you   didn't    stop   all   this   nonsense    on    your 


PHRONSIE'S    PIE  27 

father's  part,  before  the  thing  got  to  such  a  pass 
as  to  install  them  in  this  house." 

"  On  the  contrary,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney  with 
a  little  laugh,  "  I  did  everything  I  could  to 
further  the  plan  that  father  wisely  made." 

"  Wisely !  "  cried  Mrs.  Chatterton  in  scorn. 
"Oh,  you  silly  child !  don't  you  see  what  it  will 
all  tend  to  ?  " 

"  I  see  that  it  has  made  us  all  very  happy  for 
five  years,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney,  preserving  her 
composure,  "  so  I  presume  the  future  doesn't 
hold  much  to  dread  on  that  score." 

"  The  future  is  all  you  have  to  dread,"  de- 
clared Mrs.  Chatterton  harshly.  "  The  present 
may  be  well  enough;  though  I  should  think 
existence  with  that  low,  underbred  family  here, 
would  be  a  "  — 

"  You  may  pause  just  where  you  are,  Mrs. 
Chatterton,"  said  Marian,  still  with  the  gentlest 
of  accents,  but  with  a  determination  that  made 
the  other  look  down  at  her  in  astonishment, 
"  not  another  word  shall  you  utter  in  that 
strain,  nor  will  I  listen  to  it."  And  with  fine 
temper  undisturbed  in  her  blue  eyes,  she  re- 
garded her  relative. 


28         FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  Dear  me,  Marian  !  I  begin  to  notice  your 
age  more  now.  You  shouldn't  fly  into  such 
rages;  they  wear  on  one  fearfully;  and  espe- 
cially for  a  stranger  too,  and  against  your  own 
people  —  how  can  you  ?  " 

Mrs.  Chatterton  drew  out  a  vinaigrette, 
then  a  fan  from  a  silken  bag,  with  clasps  that 
she  was  always  glad  to  reflect  were  heirlooms. 
"  It's  trying,  I  must  confess,"  she  declared, 
alternately  applying  the  invigorating  salts  and 
waving  the  combination  of  gauze  and  sandal 
wood,  "  to  come  home  to  such  a  reception. 
But,"  and  a  heavy  sigh,  "  I  must  bear  it." 

"  You  ought  to  see  father,"  cried  Mrs.  Whit- 
ney, rising.  "  I  must  go  at  once  and  tell  him  of 
your  arrival." 

"  Oh  !  I  don't  know  that  I  care  about  seeing 
Cousin  Horatio  yet,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton  care- 
lessly. "  He  will  probably  fall  into  one  of  his 
rages,  and  my  nerves  have  been  upset  quite 
enough  by  you.  I  think  I'll  go  directly  to  my 
apartments."     She  rose  also. 

"  Father  must  at  once  be  informed  of  your 
arrival,"  repeated  Marian  quietly.  "  I'll  send 
him  in  to  see  you." 


PHRONSIE'S    PIE  29 

"  And  I  shall  go  to  my  apartments,"  declared 
Mrs.  Chatterton  determinedly. 

"  Hoity-toity  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  King's  voice, 
and  in  he  came,  with  Phronsie,  fresh  from  the 
kitchen,  clinging  to  his  hand. 


CHAPTER  II. 

COUSIN    EUNICE    CHATTERTON. 

T3HRONSIE  dropped  one  small  hand  by 
•*-  her  side,  and  stood  quite  still  regarding 
the  visitor.    • 

"  O  my  goodness  me,"  ejaculated  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton,  startled  out  of  her  elegance,  and  not 
pausing  to  adjust  the  glass,  but  using  her  two 
good  eyes  to  the  best  advantage. 

"  Hoity-toity !  So  you  are  back  again !  "  ex- 
claimed Mr.  King  by  way  of  welcome.  "  Well, 
and  if  I  may  ask,  what  brought  you  now, 
Eunice?  " 

Mrs.  Chatterton  gathered  herself  up  and 
smiled  in  a  superior  way. 

"Never  mind  my  reasons,  Cousin  Horatio. 
What  a  fine  child  you  have  there ;  "  now  the 
glass  came  into  play;  "  pray  tell  me  all  about 
her." 

30 


COUSIN    EUNICE   CHATTERTON  31 

"  You  have  well  said,"  observed  Mr.  King, 
seating  himself  with  the  utmost  deliberateness, 
and  drawing  Phronsie  to  her  accustomed  place 
on  his  knee,  where  she  nestled,  regardless  of  his 
immaculate  linen  and  fine  waistcoat,  "  Phronsie 
Pepper  is  indeed  a  fine  child ;  a  very  fine  child, 
Madam." 

"  O  my,  and  O  my!  "  cried  Mrs.  Chatterton, 
holding  up  her  hands,  "  to  think  that  you  can 
so  demean  yourself;  why,  she's  actually  muss- 
ing your  shirt-front  with  her  dirty  little 
hands!" 

"  Phronsie  Pepper's  hands  are  never  dirty, 
Madam,"  said  the  old  gentleman  gravely.  "  Sit 
still,  child,"  as  Phronsie  in  a  state  of  alarm, 
struggled  to  slip  down  from  his  lap,  thrusting 
the  two  members  thus  referred  to,  well  out 
before  her. 

Mrs.  Chatterton  burst  into  a  loud  laugh. 
"To  think  I  have  come  to  see  Horatio  King 
in  such  a  state!  Jasper  Horatio  King!  "  she 
repeated  scornfully.  "I  heard  about  it  through 
the  Bascombs'  letters,  but  I  wouldn't  believe  it 
till  I  used  my  eyes.  It's  positively  dread- 
ful!" 


32 


FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


Mr.  King  put  back  his  head  and  laughed  also ; 
so  heartily,  that  Phronsie  ceased  to  struggle, 
and  turned  to  regard  him  in  silent  astonish- 
ment; and  Mrs.  Whitney,  charmed  that  the 
rage  usually  produced  by  conversation  with 
Cousin  Algernon's  wife  was  not  forthcoming, 
began  to  laugh,  too,  so  that  the  amusement  of 
the  tall  lady  was  quenched  in  the  general 
hilarity. 

"  What  you  can  find  in  my  words  to  cause 
such  an  unseemly  outburst,  I  cannot  see,"  she 
cried  in  a  passion. 

"  I'm  under  the  impression  that  you  led  off 
the  amusement  yourself,"  said  Mr.  King,  wip- 
ing his  eyes.  "  Phronsie,  it's  all  very  funny, 
isn't  it?  "  looking  down  into  the  little  wonder- 
ing face. 

"Is  it  really  funny?"  asked  Phronsie. 
"Does  the  lady  like  it?" 

"  Not  particularly,  I  suspect,"  said  Mr. 
King  carelessly. 

"  And  that  you  can  talk  with  that  chit,  ig- 
noring me,  your  cousin's  wife,  is  insufferable." 
Mrs.  Chatterton  now  arose  speedily  from  the 
divan,  and  shook  out  a  flounce  or  two  with 


COUSIN  EUNICE  CHATTERTON 


33 


great  venom.  "  I  had  intended  to  make  you 
a  visit.     Now  it  is  quite  impossible." 

"  As  you  like,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  also 
rising,  and  placing  Phronsie  on  her  feet,  ob- 
serving ostentatious  care  to  keep  her  hand. 
"  My  house  is  open  to  you,  Eunice,"  with  a 
wave  of  his  disengaged  hand  in  old-time  hos- 
pitality, "  but  of  course  you  must  suit  your- 
self." 

"  It's  rather  hard  upon  a  person  of  sensi- 
bility, to  come  home  after  a  six  years'  ab- 
sence," said  Cousin  Eunice  with  a  pathetic 
sniff,  and  once  more  seeking  her  vinaigrette  in 
the  depths  of  the  silken  bag,  "  to  meet  only 
coldness  and  derision.    In  fact,  it  is  very  hard." 

"  No  doubt,  no  doubt,"  said  the  old  gentle- 
man hastily,  "  I  can  imagine  such  a  case,  but 
it  has  nothing  to  do  with  you.  Now,  if  you 
are  going  to  stay,  Eunice,  say  so  at  once,  and 
proceed  to  your  room.  If  not,  why  you  must 
go,  and  understand  it  is  no  one's  fault  but 
your  own." 

He  drew  himself  up  and  looked  long  and 
hard  into  the  thin  pale  face  before  him. 
Phronsie  pulled  at  his  hand. 


34 


FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


"  I  want  to  ask  the  lady  to  stay,  Grandpapa 
dear." 

"  She  doesn't  need  urging,"  said  old  Mr. 
King  quite  distinctly,  and  not  moving  a 
muscle. 

"  But,  Grandpapa  dear,  she  isn't  glad  about 
something." 

"  No  more  am  I." 

"  Grandpapa,"  cried  Phronsie,  moving  off 
a  bit,  though  not  deserting  his  hand,  and 
standing  on  her  tiptoes,  "I  want  her  to  stay, 
to  see  me.  Perhaps  she  hasn't  any  little 
girls  " 

"  To  see  you  ? "  cried  Mr.  King  irately. 
"  Say  no  more,  child,  say  no  more.  She's 
been  abusing  you  right  and  left,  like  a  pick- 
pocket." 

"  What  is  a  pickpocket  ?  "  asked  Phronsie, 
getting  down  from  her  tiptoes. 

"Oh!  a  scoundrel  who  puts  his  hands  into 
pockets ;  picks  out  what  doesn't  belong  to  him, 
in  fact." 

Phronsie  stood  quite  still,  and  shook  her 
head  gravely  at  the  tall  figure.  "  That  was 
not  nice,"  she  said  soberly. 


COUSIN    EUNICE   CHATTERTON  35 

"  Now  do  you  want  her  to  stay  ?  "  cried  the 
old  gentleman. 

"Insufferable!"  repeated  Mrs.  Chatterton 
between  her  teeth,  "  to  mix  me  up  with  that 
chit!" 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  said  Phronsie  decidedly,  "  I 
do,  Grandpapa.  Now  I  know  she  hasn't  any 
little  girls  —  if  she  had  little  girls,  she  wouldn't 
say  such  very  unnice  things;  I  want  the  poor 
lady  to  stay  with  me." 

Mrs.  Chatterton  turned  and  went  abruptly 
off  to  the  door ;   hesitated,  and  looked  back. 

"  I  see  your  household  is  in  a  very  chaotic 
state,  Cousin  Horatio.  Still  I  will  remain  a 
few  days,"  with  extreme  condescension,  "  on 
condition  that  these  Peppers  are  not  thrust 
upon  my  attention." 

"  I  make  no  conditions,"  said  the  old  gentle- 
man coolly.  "If  you  stay,  you  must  accept  my 
household  as  you  find  it." 

"  Come,  Marian,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton, 
holding  out  her  hand  to  Mrs.  Whitney.  "  You 
may  help  me  to  my  apartments  if  you  like. 
I  am  quite  unstrung  by  all  this,"  and  she  swept 
out  without  a  backward  glance, 


36         FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"Has  she  gone?"  cried  Jasper,  hurrying 
in  with  Polly  running  after.  "  It's  '  stay,'  isn't 
it,  father?  "  as  he  saw  the  old  gentleman's  face. 

"  Yes,"  said  Mr.  King  grimly,  "  it  is  '  stay  ' 
indeed,  Jasper." 

"  Well,  now  then,  you've  a  piece  of  work 
on  your  hands  about  the  biggest  you  ever  did 
yet,  Polly  Pepper !  "  cried  Jasper,  "  to  make 
things  comfortable  in  this  house.  I  shall  be 
just  as  cross  as  can  be  imagined,  to  begin 
with." 

"  You  cross !  "  cried  Polly. 

"  Cross  as  a  bear ;  Marian  will  fight  against 
the  prevailing  ill  wind,  but  it  will  finally  blow 
her  down  to  a  state  of  depression  where  her 
best  friend  wouldn't  recognize  her,  and  "  — 

"  You  don't  mention  me,  my  boy,"  said  Mr. 
King  dryly. 

Jasper  looked  into  his  father's  eyes,  and  they 
both  laughed. 

"  And  if  you,  Polly  Pepper,  don't  keep 
things  bright,  why,  we  shall  all  go  to  the  dogs," 
said  the  old  gentleman,  sobering  down.  "  So 
mind  you  do,  and  we'll  try  to  bear  Cousin 
Algernon's  relict." 


COUSIN    EUNICE    CHATTERTON  37 

"  I  will,"  said  Polly  stoutly,  though  "  relict  " 
sounded  very  dreadful  to  begin  with. 

"  Give  us  your  hand,  then,"  said  Jasper's 
father,  putting  out  his  palm.  "  There !  "  releas- 
ing it,  "  now  I'm  much  more  comfortable  about 
matters." 

"  And  give  me  your  hand,  Polly,"  cried  Jas- 
per, his  own  brown  hand  flying  to  meet  hers. 
"There!  and  now  I'm  comfortable  too!  So 
it's  a  compact,  and  a  sure  one !  " 

"  And  I  want  to  give  my  hand,"  cried  Phron- 
sie,  very  much  aggrieved.     "  Here,  Jasper." 

"  Bless  my  soul,  so  you  must !  "  cried  old 
Mr.  King;  "to  think  we  didn't  ask  you  first. 
There  —  and  there !  " 

"  And,  Phronsie  darling,"  cried  Polly  in  a 
rapture,  "  you  must  promise  with  me,  after  you 
have  with  the  others.  I  couldn't  ever  get  along 
in  all  this  world  without  that." 

So  the  ceremony  of  sealing  the  compact  hav- 
ing been  observed  with  great  gravity,  Phron- 
sie drew  a  long  breath,  and  now  felt  that  the 
"  poor  lady  "  might  come  down  at  any  time 
to  find  all  things  prepared  for  her. 

"  Now  tell  our  plan,"  cried  Jasper  to  Polly, 


38         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  and  put  this  disagreeable  business  out  of 
our  heads.  It's  a  fine  one,"  he  added  to  his 
father. 

"  Of  course  it  is,"  cried  the  old  gentleman. 

"  Well,  you  know  Joel  and  Davie  and  Van 
and  Percy  are  coming  home  from  school  next 
week  for  the  Christmas  holidays,"  began 
Polly,  trying  to  still  the  wild  beating  of  her 
heart. 

"Bless  me!  so  they  are,"  said  Mr.  King. 
"  How  time  flies,  to  be  sure !  Well,  go  on, 
Polly." 

"  And  we  ought  to  do  something  to  cele- 
brate," said  Polly,  "  at  least  don't  you  think 
so?"  she  asked  anxiously,  looking  up  in  his 
face. 

"  To  be  sure  I  do,"  cried  the  old  gentleman 
heartily.  "  Well,  what  would  you  do,  Polly 
child,  to  show  the  youngsters  we're  proud  of 
them,  and  glad  to  get  them  back  —  hey  ?  " 

"  We  want  to  get  up  a  little  play,"  said  Polly, 
"  Jasper  and  I,  and  act  it." 

"  And  have  music,"  cried  Jasper.  "  Polly 
shall  play  on  the  piano.  The  boys  will  be  so 
delighted  to  see  how  she  has  improved." 


COUSIN    EUNICE   CHATTERTON 


39 


"  And  Jasper  will  play  too,"  cried  Polly 
eagerly.  "  Oh,  Jasper !  will  you  play  that  con- 
certo, the  one  you  played  when  Mary  Gibbs 
was  here  at  tea  last  week?    Do,  Jasper,  do." 

"  That  nearly  floored  me,"  said  Jasper. 

"  No ;  you  said  it  was  Mary's  watching  you 
like  a  lynx  —  you  know  you  did,"  said  Polly, 
laughing  merrily. 

"  Never  mind,"  said  the  old  gentleman. 
"  What  next,  Polly?    The  play  is  all  right." 

"  I  should  think  it  was,"  cried  Jasper.  "  It's 
the  Three  Dragons,  and  the  Princess  Clotilde." 

"  O  my  goodness,"  exclaimed  Mr.  King, 
"  What  a  play  for  Christmas  Eve !  " 

"  Well,  you'll  say  it's  a  splendid  hit !  "  cried 
Jasper,  "  when  you  see  it  from  the  private  box 
we  are  going  to  give  you." 

"  So  you  are  intending  to  honor  me,  are 
you  ?  "  cried  his  father,  vastly  pleased  to  find 
himself  as  ever,  the  central  figure  in  their  plans. 
"  Well,  well,  I  dare  say  it  will  all  be  as  fine 
as  can  be  to  welcome  these  young  scapegraces 
home.     What  next,  Polly  ?  " 

"  It  must  be  kept  a  perfect  surprise,"  cried 
Polly,  clasping  her  hands  while  the  color  flew 


40 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


over  her  face.  "  No  one  must  even  whisper  it 
to  each  other,  the  day  before  Christmas  when 
the  boys  get  here,  for  Joel  is  so  very  dreadful 
whenever  there  is  a  secret." 

"  His  capacity  certainly  is  good,"  said  Mr. 
King  dryly.     "  We  will  all  be  very  careful." 

"  And  Phronsie  is  to  be  Princess  Clotilde," 
cried  Jasper,  seizing  her  suddenly,  to  prance 
around  the  room,  just  like  old  times. 

"Oh,  Jasper!  I'm  eight  years  old,"  she 
cried,  struggling  to  free  herself. 

"  Nonsense !  What  of  it  —  you  are  the 
baby  of  this  household."  But  he  set  her  on 
her  feet  nevertheless,  one  hand  still  patting  the 
soft  yellow  waves  over  her  brow.  "  Go  on, 
Polly,  do,  and  lay  the  whole  magnificence  be- 
fore father.     He  will  be  quite  overcome." 

"  That  would  be  disastrous,"  said  Mr.  King; 
"  better  save  your  effects  till  the  grand  affair 
comes  off." 

"  Jasper  is  to  be  one  of  the  dragons,"  an- 
nounced Polly,  quite  in  her  element,  "  that  is, 
the  head  dragon;  Ben  is  to  be  another,  and 
we  haven't  quite  decided  whether  to  ask  Archy 
Hurd  or  Clare  to  take  the  third  one." 


COUSIN    EUNICE    CHATTERTON 


41 


"  Clare  has  the  most  '  go '  in  him,"  said 
Jasper  critically. 

"  Then  I  think  we'll  decide  now  to  ask  him," 
said  Polly,  "don't  you,  Jasper?" 

"  A  dragon  without  '  go  '  in  him  would  be 
most  undesirable,  I  should  fancy.  Well,  what 
next  do  you  propose  to  do,  Polly?  "  asked  Mr. 
King. 

"  Now  that  we  know  that  you  will  allow  us 
to  have  it,"  cried  Polly  in  a  rapture,  "  why, 
we  can  think  up  splendid  things.  We've  only 
the  play  written  so  far,  sir." 

"  Polly  wrote  the  most,"  said  Jasper. 

"Oh,  no,  Jasper!  I  only  put  in  the  bits," 
said  Polly.  "  He  planned  it  —  every  single 
bit,  Jasper  did." 

"  Well,  she  thought  up  the  dragons,  and  the 
cave,  and  "  — 

"Oh!  that  was  easy  enough,"  said  Polly, 
guilty  of  interrupting,  "  because  you  see 
something  has  to  carry  off  the  Princess  Clo- 
tilde." 

"  Oh,  now !  you  are  not  going  to  frighten 
my  little  girl,"  cried  Mr.  King.  "  I  protest 
against  the  whole  thing  if  you  do,"  and  he  put 


42         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

out  his  hand.  "  Come,  Phonsie,"  when,  as  of 
old,  she  hurried  to  his  side  obediently. 

"  Oh !  we  are  going  to  show  her  the  boys, 
and  how  we  dress  them  up  just  like  dragons," 
cried  Polly,  "  and  while  they  are  prancing 
around  and  slashing  their  tails  at  rehearsal, 
I'm  going  to  keep  saying,  '  That's  nothing  but 
Jasper  and  Ben  and  Clare,  you  know,  Phron- 
sie,'  till  I  get  her  accustomed  to  them.  You 
won't  be  frightened,  will  you,  pet,  at  those 
dear,  sweet  old  dragons?"  she  ended,  and 
getting  on  her  knees,  she  looked  imploringly 
into  Phronsie's  blue  eyes. 

"  N-no,"  said  Phronsie,  slowly,  "  not  if  they 
are  really  Jasper  and  Ben  and  Clare." 

"  They  really  will  be,"  cried  Polly,  enchanted 
at  her  success,  "  Jasper  and  Ben  and  Clare ; 
and  they  will  give  you  a  ride,  and  show  you  a 
cave,  oh !  and  perfect  quantities  of  things ;  you 
can't  think  how  many !  " 

Phronsie  clapped  her  hands  and  laughed 
aloud  in  glee. 

"  Oh !  I  don't  care  if  they  are  true  dragons, 
Polly,   I  don't,"  she  cried,  dreadfully  excited. 


COUSIN   EUNICE   CHATTERTON  43 

"  Make  '  em  real  big  live  ones,  do ;  do  make 
them  big,  and  let  me  ride  on  their  backs." 

"  These  will  be  just  as  real,"  said  Polly  com- 
fortingly, "  that  is,  they'll  act  real,  only  there 
will  be  boys  inside  of  them.  Oh!  we'll  have 
them  nice,  dear,  don't  you  fear." 

"  But  I'd  really  rather  have  true  ones," 
sighed  Phronsie. 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE   REHEARSAL. 

"  IV  TOW,  Phronsie,  said  Polly,  on  her  knees 

**■  ^  before  the  Princess,  who  was  slowly- 
evolving  into  "  a  thing  of  beauty,"  "  do  hold 
still  just  a  minute,  dear.  There,"  as  she  thrust 
in  another  pin,  then  turned  her  head  critically 
to  view  her  work,  "  I  do  hope  that  is  right." 

Phronsie  sighed.  "  May  I  just  stretch  a  wee 
little  bit,  Polly,"  she  asked  timidly,  "  before 
you  pin  it  up?    Just  a  very  little  bit?  " 

"  To  be  sure  you  may,"  said  Polly,  looking 
into  the  flushed  little  face;  "  I'll  tell  you,  you 
may  walk  over  to  the  window  and  back,  once; 
that'll  rest  you  and  give  me  a  chance  to  see 
what  is  the  matter  with  that  back  drapery." 

So  Phronsie,  well  pleased,  gathered  up  the 
embyro  robe  of  the  Princess  and  moved  off,  a 
bewildering  tangle  of  silver  spangles  and  float- 
44 


THE   REHEARSAL  45 

ing  lace,  drawn  over  the  skirt  of  one  of  Mrs. 
Whitney's  white  satin  gowns. 

"  There  ought  to  be  a  dash  of  royal  purple 
somewhere,"  said  Polly,  sitting  on  the  floor  to 
see  her  go,  and  resting  her  tired  hands  on  her 
knees.  "  Now  where  shall  I  get  it,  and  where 
shall  I  put  it  when  I  do  have  it?"  She 
wrinkled  up  her  eyebrows  a  moment,  lost  in 
thought  over  the  momentous  problem.  "  Oh ! 
I  know,"  and  she  sprang  up  exultingly. 
"  Phronsie,  won't  this  be  perfectly  lovely?  we 
can  take  that  piece  of  tissue  paper  Auntie  gave 
you,  and  I  can  cut  out  little  knots  and  sashes. 
It  is  so  soft,  that  in  the  gaslight  they  will  look 
like  silk.    How  fine !  " 

"  Can't  I  be  a  Princess  unless  you  sew  up 
that  purple  paper  ?  "  asked  Phronsie,  pausing 
suddenly  to  look  over  her  shoulder  in  dismay 
at  Polly. 

"  Why,  yes,  you  can  be,  of  course,"  said 
Polly,  "  but  you  can't  be  as  good  a  one  as  if 
you  had  a  dash  of  royal  purple  about  you. 
What's  a  bit  of  tissue  paper  to  the  glory  of 
being  a  Princess  ?  "  she  cried,  with  sparkling 
eyes.    "  Dear  me,  I  wish  I  could  be  one." 


46         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  Well,  you  may  have  it,  Polly,"  said  Phron- 
sie  with  a  sigh,  "  and  then  afterwards  I'll  rip 
it  all  off  and  smooth  it  out,  and  it  will  be  almost 
as  good  as  new." 

"  I  think  there  won't  be  much  left  of  it  when 
the  play  is  over,"  cried  Polly  with  a  laugh; 
"  why,  the  dragons  are  going  to  carry  you  off 
to  their  cave,  you  know,  and  you  are  to  be  res- 
cued by  the  knight,  just  think,  Phronsie!  You 
can't  expect  to  have  such  perfectly  delightful 
times,  and  come  out  with  a  quantity  of  tissue 
paper  all  safe.  Something  has  to  be  sacrificed 
to  royalty,  child." 

Phronsie  sighed  again.  But  as  Polly  ap- 
proved of  royalty  so  highly,  she  immediately 
lent  herself  to  the  anticipations  of  the  pleasure 
before  her,  smothering  all  lesser  considera- 
tions. 

"  When  you  get  your  little  silver  cap  on  with 
one  of  Auntie's  diamond  rings  sewed  in  it,  why, 
you'll  be  too  magnificent  for  anything,"  said 
Polly,  now  pulling  and  patting  with  fresh  en- 
thusiasm, since  the  "  purple  dash  "  was  forth- 
coming. 

"  Princesses  don't  wear  silver  caps  with  dia- 


THE  REHEARSAL  47 

mond  rings  sewed  in  them,"  observed  Phronsie 
wisely. 

"Of  course  not ;  they  have  diamonds  by  the 
bushel,  and  don't  need  to  sew  rings  in  their  caps 
to  make  them  sparkle,"  said  Polly,  plaiting  and 
pinning  rapidly,  "  but  in  dressing  up  for  a  play, 
we  have  to  take  a  poetic  license.  There,  turn 
just  one  bit  to  the  right,  Phronsie  dear." 

"  What's  poetic  license?  "  demanded  Phron- 
sie, wrenching  her  imagination  off  from  the 
bushel  of  diamonds  to  seize  practical  informa- 
tion. 

"  Oh !  when  a  man  writes  verses  and  says 
things  that  aren't  so,"  said  Polly,  her  mind  on 
the  many  details  before  her. 

"  But  he  ought  not  to,"  cried  Phronsie,  with 
wide  eyes,  "  say  things  that  are  not  so.  I 
thought  poets  were  always  very  good,  Polly." 

"  Oh !  well,  people  let  him,"  said  Polly, 
carelessly,  "  because  he  puts  it  into  poetry.  It 
would  never  do  in  prose;  that  would  be  quite 
shocking." 

"  Oh !  "  said  Phronsie,  finding  the  conver- 
sation some  alleviation  to  the  fitting-on  pro- 
cess. 


48         FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  Now  this  left  side,"  said  Polly,  twisting 
her  head  to  obtain  a  good  view  of  the  point 
in  question,  "is  just  right;  I  couldn't  do  it 
any  better  if  I  were  to  try  a  thousand  times. 
Why  won't  this  other  one  behave,  and  fall 
into  a  pretty  curve,  I  wonder?  " 

Phronsie  yawned  softly  as  the  brown  eyes 
were  safely  behind  her. 

"  I  shall  gather  it  up  anyway,  so,"  and  Polly 
crushed  the  refractory  folds  recklessly  in  one 
hand ;  "  that's  the  way  Mary  Gibbs's  hat 
trimmings  look,  and  I'm  sure  they're  a  com- 
plete success.  Oh!  that's  lovely,"  cried  Polly, 
at  the  effect.  "  Now,  that's  the  treatment  the 
whole  drapery  needs,"  she  added  in  the  tone 
of  an  art  connoisseur.     "  Oh !  " 

A  rushing  noise  announced  the  approach  of 
two  or  three  boys,  together  with  the  barking 
of  Prince,  as  they  all  ran  down  the  wide  hall. 

"  O  dear,  dear ! "  exclaimed  Polly,  hur- 
riedly pulling  and  pinning,  "  there  come  the 
boys  to  rehearse.  It  can't  be  four  o'clock,"  as 
the  door  opened  and  three  members  of  the 
cast  entered. 

"  It's  quarter-past  four,"  said  Jasper,  laugh- 


THE   REHEARSAL 


49 


ing  and  pulling  out  his  watch ;  "  we  gave  you 
an  extra  fifteen  minutes,  as  you  had  such  a  lot 
to  do.  Dear  me!  but  you  are  fine,  Phronsie. 
I  make  my  obeisance  to  Princess  Clotilde !  " 
and  he  bowed  low  to  the  little  silver  and  white 
figure,  as  did  the  other  two  boys,  and  then 
drew  off  to  witness  the  final  touches. 

"  It's  a  most  dreadful  thing,"  cried  Polly, 
pushing  back  the  brown  waves  from  her  brow, 
as  she  also  fell  off  to  their  point  of  view,  "  to 
get  up  a  princess.  I  had  no  idea  it  was  such 
a  piece  of  work." 

"  You  have  scored  an  immense  success,"  said 
Jasper  enthusiastically.  "  Oh,  Phronsie !  you 
will  make  the  hit  of  the  season." 

"  You'll  think  it  is  even  much  nicer  when 
it  is  done,"  said  Polly,  vastly  relieved  that 
Jasper  had  given  such  a  kind  verdict.  "  It's 
to  have  a  dash  of  royal  purple  on  that  right 
side,  and  in  one  of  the  shoulder  knots,  and  to 
catch  up  her  train." 

"  That  will  be  very  pretty,  I  don't  doubt," 
said  Jasper,  trying  to  resolve  himself  into  the 
cold  critic,  "  but  it  seems  to  me  it  is  almost 
perfect  now,  Polly." 


•50         FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  Oh !  thank  you  so  much,"  she  cried,  with 
blooming  cheeks.  "  How  do  you  like  it,  Clare 
and  Bensie?  " 

"  I  can't  tell,"  said  Ben,  slowly  regarding 
the  Princess  on  all  sides ;  "  it's  so  transform- 
ing." 

"  It's  tiptop !  "  cried  Clare.  "  It  out-prin- 
cesses any  princess  I've  ever  imagined." 

"  Well,  it's  a  perfect  relief,"  said  Polly,  "  to 
have  you  boys  come  in.  I've  been  working 
so  over  it  that  I  was  ready  to  say  it  was  horrid. 
It's  too  bad,  isn't  it,  that  Dick  can't  be  here 
to-day  to  rehearse  his  part  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure,"  exclaimed  Jasper,  looking 
around,  "where  is  the  Princess's  page?" 

"  He's  gone  to  the  dentist's,"  said  Polly, 
making  a  wry  face.  "  Auntie  had  to  make 
the  appointment  for  this  afternoon,  and  we 
couldn't  put  off  the  rehearsal ;  Clare  can't  come 
any  other  time,  you  know." 

Phronsie  turned  an  anxious  face  to  the  win- 
dow. "  I  hope  he's  not  being  hurt  very  much," 
she  said  slowly. 

"  I  don't  believe  he  is,"  Polly  made  haste  to 
answer  most  cheerfully,  "  it  was  only  one  tooth, 


THE   REHEARSAL 


51 


you  know,  Phronsie,  to  be  filled.  Auntie  says 
Dr.  Porter  told  her  the  rest  are  all  right." 

But  a  cloud  rested  on  the  Princess's  face. 
"  One  tooth  is  something,"  she  said. 

"  Just  think  how  nice  it  will  be  when  it  is 
all  over,  and  Dick  comes  scampering  in,"  cried 
Jasper,  with  great  hilarity. 

"  Do  climb  up  on  the  sofa,  Phronsie,"  urged 
Polly,  looking  into  the  pale  little  face,  "  you 
must  sit  down  and  rest  a  bit,  you're  so  tired." 

"  I  will  read  the  prologue  while  she  rests," 
said  Jasper. 

"  So  you  can,"  said  Polly.  "  Take  care, 
child,"  in  alarm,  "  you  mustn't  curl  up  in  the 
corner  like  that ;  princesses  don't  ever  do 
so." 

"Don't  they?"  said  Phronsie,  flying  off 
from  the  lovely  corner,  to  straighten  out  again 
into  the  dignity  required ;  "  not  when  they 
are  little  girls,  Polly?" 

"  No,  indeed,"  said  Polly,  with  a  rescuing 
hand  among  the  silver  spangles  and  lace; 
they  must  never  forget  that  they  are  princesses, 
Phronsie.     There  now,  you're  all  right." 

"  Oh !  "  said  Phronsie,   sitting  quite  stiffly, 


52 


FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


glad  if  she  could  not  be  comfortable,  she  could 
be  a  princess. 

"  Gentle  ladies  and  brave  sirs,"  began  Jas- 
per in  a  loud,  impressive  tone,  from  the  tempo- 
rary stage,  the  large  rug  in  front  of  the  crack- 
ling hearth  fire. 

Clare  burst  into  a  laugh.  "  See  here  now," 
cried  Jasper,  brandishing  his  text  at  him,  "  if 
you  embarrass  me  like  that,  you  may  leave,  you 
old  dragon !  " 

"  You  ought  to  see  your  face,"  cried  Clare. 
"  JaP>  y°u  are  anything  but  a  hit." 

"  You'll  be  yet,"  declared  Jasper  with  a  pre- 
tended growl,  and  another  flourish  of  the  man- 
uscript. 

"  Go  on,  do,"  implored  Polly,  "  I  think  it  is 
lovely.  Clare,  you  really  ought  to  be  ashamed," 
and  she  shook  her  brown  head  severely  at 
him. 

"  If  I  don't  quench  such  melodrama  in  the 
outset,"  said  Clare,  "  he'll  ruin  us  all.  Fair 
ladies  and  brave  sirs,"  mimicking  to  perfec- 
tion Jasper's  tones. 

"  Thank  you  for  a  hint,"  cried  Jasper,  pull- 
ing out  his  pencil.    "  I  didn't  say  '  fair  ' ;  that's 


THE   REHEARSAL 


53 


better  than  '  gentle.'  I  wish  critics  would  al- 
ways be  so  useful  as  to  give  one  good  idea. 
Heigho !   here  goes  again : 

"  '  Fair  ladies  and  brave  sirs, 
The  player's  art  is  to  amuse, 
Instruct,  or  to  confuse 
By  too  much  good  advice, 
But  poorly  given : 

That  no  one  follows,  because,  forsooth, 
'Tis  thrown  at  him,  neck  and  heels. 
The  drama,  pure  and  simple,  is  forgot 
In  tugging  in  the  moral '  "  — 

"  I  thought  you  were  going  to  alter  '  tug- 
ging in '  to  something  more  elegant,"  said 
Polly. 

"  Lugging  in,"  suggested  Clare,  with  another 
laugh. 

"  Morals  are  always  tugged  in  by  the  head 
and  shoulders,"  said  Jasper.  "  Why  not  say 
so?" 

"  We  should  have  pretty  much  the  whole 
anatomy  of  the  human  form  divine,  if  you 
had  your  way,"  cried  Clare.     "  Listen! 

" '  Because,  forsooth,  'tis  thrown  at  him, 
neck  and  heels  '  and  '  Tugging  in  the  moral, 
head  and  shoulders.'     Now  just  add  'by  the 


54 


FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


pricking  of  my  thumbs,'  etc.,  and  you  have 
them  all." 

Jasper  joined  as  well  as  Polly  and  Ben  in 
the  laugh  at  the  prologue's  expense,  but  Phron- 
sie  sat  erect  winking  hard,  her  royal  hands 
folded  quite  still  in  her  lap. 

"  You're  bound  for  a  newspaper  office,  my 
boy,"  said  Jasper  at  length.  "  How  you  will 
cut  into  the  coming  poet,  and  maul  the  fledg- 
ling of  the  prose  writer!  Well,  I  stand  cor- 
rected. 

" e  The  drama  pure  and  simple, 

Is  forgot,  in  straining  at  the  moral.' 

"Is  that  any  better?"     (To  the  audience.) 
"  Yes,  I  think  it  is,"  said  Polly,  "  but  I  do 

believe  it's  time  to  talk  more  elegantly,  Jasper. 

It  is  due  to  the  people  in  the  private  boxes,  you 

know." 

"  Oh !   the  boxes  are  to  have  things  all  right 

before  the  play  is  over;  never  you  fear,  Polly," 

said  Jasper. 

" '  A  poor  presentment, 
You  will  say  we  give ; 
But  cry  you  mercy,  Sirs,  and '  "  — 


THE   REHEARSAL 


55 


"  I  don't  like  '  cry  you  mercy,'  "  announced 
Ben  slowly,  "  because  it  doesn't  seem  to  mean 
anything." 

"Oh!  don't  cut  that  out,"  exclaimed  Polly, 
clasping  her  hands  and  rushing  up  to  Ben. 
"  That's  my  pet  phrase ;  you  mustn't  touch 
that,  Bensie." 

"  But  it  doesn't  mean  anything,"  reiterated 
Ben  in  a  puzzled  way. 

"  Who  cares?  "  cried  Jasper  defiantly.  "  A 
great  many  expressions  that  haven't  the  least 
significance,  are  put  in  a  thing  of  this  sort. 
Padding,  you  know,  my  dear  sir." 

"  Oh !  "  said  Ben  literally,  "  I  didn't  know 
as  you  needed  padding.  All  right,  if  it  is 
necessary." 

"  It's  antique,  and  perfectly  lovely,  and  just 
like  Shakespeare,"  cried  Polly,  viewing  Ben 
in  alarm. 

"  Oh !  let  the  Bard  of  Avon  have  one  say 
in  this  production,"  cried  Clare.  "  Go  on,  do, 
with  your  '  cry  you  mercy.'  What's  next, 
Jap?" 

"  Are  you  willing,  Ben  ?  "  asked  Jasper,  with 
a  glance  at  Polly. 


56         FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  Ye-es,"  said  Ben,  also  gazing  at  the  rosy 
face  and  anxious  eyes,  "  it  can  go  as  padding, 
I  suppose." 

"  Oh !  I  am  so  glad,"  exclaimed  Polly  in 
glee,  and  dancing  around  the  room.  "  And 
you  won't  be  sorry,  I  know,  Bensie;  the 
audience  will  applaud  that  very  thing  I'm 
almost  sure,"  which  made  Jasper  sternly  re- 
solve something  on  the  spot. 

"  Well,  I  shall  never  be  through  at  this  rate," 
he  said,  whirling  over  the  manuscript  to  find 
his  place.     "  Oh !  here  I  am : 

" '  But  cry  you  mercy,  Sirs  and  ladies  fair, 
We  aim  but  to  be  dragons, 
Not  mortals  posing  for  effect. 
We  have  a  princess,  to  be  sure ' "  — 

"  I  should  think  we  have,"  interrupted  Clare 
with  a  glance  over  at  the  sofa.  "  Goodness 
me,  she's  fast  asleep !  " 

"  Poor  little  thing,  she  is  tired  to  death," 
cried  Polly  remorsefully,  while  they  all  rushed 
over  to  the  heap  of  lace  and  spangles,  bliss- 
fully oblivious  of  "  prologues." 

"  Do   let   her   sleep   through   this    piece   of 


THE   REHEARSAL  57 

stupidity,"  said  Jasper,  bundling  up  another 
satin  skirt  that  Mrs.  Whitney  had  loaned  for 
Polly  to  make  a  choice  from.  "  There,"  put- 
ting it  under  the  yellow  head,  "  we'll  call  her 
when  the  dragons  come  on." 

"  Take  care,"  cried  Polly,  with  intercepting 
hand,  "  that's  Auntie's  lovely  satin  gown." 

"  Beg  pardon,"  said  Jasper,  relinquishing  it 
speedily.  "  Here's  the  sofa  pillow,  after  all," 
dragging  it  from  its  temporary  retirement 
under  the  theatrical  debris.  "  Now  let's  get 
back  to  work;  time  is  going  fast."  In  a  low- 
ered voice: 

" '  We  have  a  princess,  to  be  sure, 
A  sweet  and  gracious  Clotilde, 
And  a  knight  who  does  her  homage; 
But  the  rest  of  us 
Are  fishy,  scaly, 
Horny  and  altogether  horrid, 
And  of  very  low  degree 

Who  scarce  know  why  we  are  upon  the  boards, 
Except  for  your  amusement, 
So  prithee ' "  — 

"  Hold!  "  cried  Clare,  "  what  stuff." 
"  Give  me  an  inch  of  time,"  cried  Jasper, 
hurrying  on,  "  and  I'll  end  the  misery : 


58         FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  '  So  prithee,  be  amused ; 

We're  undone,  if  you  are  not, 

And  all  our  labor  lost. 

Pray  laugh,  and  shake  your  sides, 

And  say  "  'tis  good ; 

I'   faith,  'tis  very  good." 

And  we  shall  say 
"  Your  intellects  do  you  credit." 

And  so  we  bid  you  a  fond  adieu, 

And  haste  away  to  unshackle  the  dragons, 

Who  even  now  do  roar  without.' " 


Clare  threw  himself  into  the  part  of  the 
dragons,  and  forgetful  of  Phronsie,  gave  a 
loud  roar.  Polly  clapped  her  hands  and  tossed 
an  imaginary  bouquet  as  Jasper  bowed  himself 
off. 

"  Hush !  "  said  Ben,  "  you'll  wake  up  Phron- 
sie," but  it  was  too  late;  there  she  sat  rubbing 
her  eyes  in  astonishment. 

"  Oh !  you  darling,"  cried  Polly,  running 
over  to  her,  to  clasp  her  in  her  arms,  "  I'm 
so  sorry  I  tired  you  all  out,  Phronsie  dear,  do 
forgive  me." 

"  I'm  not  tired,"  said  Phronsie,  with  dewy 
eyes.  "  Has  Jasper  got  through  reading? 
What  was  it  all  about,  Polly?  " 


THE   REHEARSAL 


59 


"  Indeed  and  I  have  finished,"  he  cried  with 
a  yawn  and  throwing  the  manuscript  on  the 
table,  "  and  I  don't  know  in  the  least  what  it 
is  all  about,  Phronsie." 

"Just  a  lot  of  dreadful  words,"  said  Clare, 
over  in  the  corner,  pulling  at  a  heap  of  cos- 
tumes on  the  floor.  "  Never  mind ;  the  hor- 
rible spell  is  broken;  come  on,  you  fellows, 
and  tumble  into  your  dragon  skins !  " 

With  that  the  chief  dragon  deserted  Phron- 
sie, and  presently  there  resounded  the  rattle 
of  the  scales,  the  clanking  of  chains,  and  the 
dragging  about  of  the  rest  of  their  parapher- 
nalia. 

"  Now,  Phronsie,"  said  Jasper,  coming  back, 
half-within  his  dragon  skin  and  gesticulating, 
"  you  see  that  it's  only  I  in  this  thing.  Look, 
dear!  here  goes  in  my  head,"  and  he  pulled 
on  the  scaly  covering,  observing  great  care  to 
smile  reassuringly  the  last  thing  before  his 
countenance  was  obscured. 

Phronsie  screamed  with  delight  and  clapped 
her  hands.  "  Oh,  Jasper !  let  me  have  one  on, 
do,  Jasper !  I'd  much  rather  be  a  dragon  than 
a  princess.    Really  and  truly  1  would,  Jasper." 


60         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  I  don't  agree  with  you,"  said  Jasper,  in  a 
muffled  voice.  "  Phew !  this  is  no  end  stuffy, 
fellows.     I  can't  stand  it  long." 

"  I'm  all  coming  to  pieces,"  said  Ben,  turn- 
ing around  to  regard  his  back  where  the  scales 
yawned  fearfully. 

"  I'll  run  and  ask  Mamsie  to  come  and  sew 
you  up,"  cried  Polly,  flying  off.  "  She  said  she 
would  help,  if  we  wanted  her." 


CHAPTER   IV. 

WELCOME    HOME! 

"  "]\/rARI0N>"  said  old  Mr-  Kin£>  putting 

1'YX  i^g  head  in  at  the  door  of  her  little 
writing-room,  "  can't  you  get  her  comfortably 
out  of  the  way  this  morning?  I  want  your 
services  without  interruption." 

"  She's  going  down  to  Pinaud's,"  said  Mrs. 
Whitney,  looking  up  from  the  note  she  was 
writing. 

"  Capital !  when  she  once  gets  there,  she'll 
stay  the  morning,"  declared  Mr.  King,  greatly 
pleased.  "  Now,  then,  after  she's  cleverly  off, 
you  may  come  to  me." 

"  I  will,  father,"  said  Marian,  going  back 
with  a  smile  to  her  correspondence. 

Half  an  hour  later  Thomas,  with  the  aid  of 
the  horses  and  the  shopping  coupe  having  car- 
ried off  Mrs.  Chatterton,  Mrs.  Whitney  pushed 
61 


62         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

aside  her  notes,  and  ran  down  to  her  father's 
study. 

She  found  him  in  his  velvet  morning-gown 
seated  before -his  table,  busy  with  a  good-sized 
list  of  names'  that  was  rapidly  growing  longer 
under  his  pen. 

"Oh!  I  forgot,"  he  said,  looking  up;  "I 
intended  to  tell  you  to  bring  some  of  your 
cards-  and  envelopes.  I  want  some  invitations 
written." 

"Are  you  going  to  give  a  dinner?"  asked 
Marian,  looking  over  his  shoulder.  "  Oh,  no ! 
I  see  by  the  length  of  your  list  it's  an  evening 
affair,  or  a  musicale." 

"  You  run  along,  daughter,"  said  the  old 
gentleman,  "  and  get  what  I  tell  you.  This  is 
my  affair:  it's  a  musicale  and  something  else 
combined.  I  don't  just  know  myself."  And 
he  laughed  at  the  sight  of  her  face. 

"If  father  is  only  pleased,  I  don't  care  what 
it  is,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney  to  herself,  hurrying 
over  the  stairs  and  back  again,  never  once 
thinking  of  Polly's  and  Jasper's  surprise  for 
the  boys. 

"  You  see,  Marian,"  said  Mr.  King  as  she 


WELCOME   HOME!  63 

sat  down  by  the  table  and  laid  the  cards  and 
envelopes  in  front  of  him,  "  that  I'm  going  to 
help  out  that  affair  that  Jasper  and  Polly  are 
getting  up." 

"  Oh,  father !  how  good  of  you !  "  exclaimed 
Mrs.  Whitney  in  a  delighted  tone,  which  im- 
mensely pleased  the  old  gentleman,  to  begin 
with. 

"  They've  been  working  very  hard,  those 
two,  at  their  studies  this  autumn.  I've  seen 
them,"  cried  Mr.  King  with  a  shrewd  air,  "  and 
I'm  going  now  to  give  them  a  little  pleasure." 

Marian  said  nothing,  but  let  him  have  the 
comfort  of  doing  all  the  talking,  which  he  now 
enjoyed  to  his  heart's  content. 

"  Whether  the  other  chaps  have  done  well, 
I  don't  know.  Davie  may  have  kept  at  it,  but 
I  suspect  the  rest  of  the  boys  haven't  killed 
themselves  with  hard  study.  But  they  shall 
have  a  good  home-coming,  at  any  rate." 

Mrs.  Whitney  smiled,  and  he  proceeded : 

"  Now  I'm  going  to  send  out  these  invita- 
tions "  —  he  pushed  the  list  toward  her  —  "I 
shall  have  the  drawing-room  and  music-room 
floors  covered,  and  all  extra  seats  arranged, 


64         FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

give  Turner  carte  blanche  as  to  flowers,  if  he 
can't  furnish  enough  out  of  our  own  conserva- 
tories —  and  the  evening  will  end  with  a  hand- 
some '  spread,'  as  Jasper  calls  it.  In  short,  I 
shall  recognize  their  attempt  to  make  it  pleas- 
ant for  the  boys'  holiday,  by  helping  them  out 
on  the  affair  all  I  can."  The  old  gentleman 
now  leaned  back  in  his  big  chair  and  studied 
his  daughter's  face. 

"  And  you'll  never  regret  it,  father,"  she 
cried,  with  an  enthusiasm  that  satisfied  him, 
"  for  these  young  people  will  all  repay  you  a 
thousand-fold,  I  do  believe,  in  the  time  to 
come." 

"  Don't  I  know  it  ?  "  cried  Mr.  King,  getting 
out  of  his  chair  hastily  to  pace  the  floor. 
''Goodness  me !  they  repay  me  already.  They're 
fine  young  things,  every  one  of  them  —  Whit- 
nej'S,  Peppers  and  my  boy  —  as  fine  as  they 
are  made.  And  whoever  says  they're  not, 
doesn't  know  a  good  piece  of  work  when  it's 
before  his  eyes.  Bless  me !  "  pulling  out  his 
handkerchief  to  mop  his  face  violently,  "  I 
don't  want  to  see  any  finer." 

"  I  hope  I  shall  have  a  sight  of  Jasper's  and 


WELCOME   HOME!  65 

Polly's  faces  when  you  tell  them  what  you 
intend  to  do,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney;  "where 
are  your  cards,  father?  " 

"  Tell  them  ?  I  sha'n't  tell  them  at  all,"  cried 
the  old  gentleman ;  "  I'm  going  to  have  a  sur- 
prise, too.  No  one  must  know  it  but  you  and 
Mrs.  Pepper." 

"  Oh !  "  said  Mrs.  Whitney.  "  It  was  very 
stupid  in  me  not  to  understand  that.  It  will 
be  all  right,  father;  Mrs.  Pepper  and  I  will 
keep  our  secret,  you  needn't  fear." 

"  If  you  can  only  keep  her  out  of  the  way," 
exclaimed  Mr.  King,  pointing  irascibly  in  the 
direction  of  Mrs.  Chatterton's  apartments,  "  all 
will  be  well.  But  I  doubt  if  you  can;  her 
meddlesome  ears  and  tongue  will  be  at  work 
as  usual,"  he  added  in  extreme  vexation. 

"  Here  comes  Jasper,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Whit- 
ney, which  had  the  satisfactory  result  of  bring- 
ing her  father  out  of  his  irritation,  into  a  flut- 
ter over  the  concealment  of  the  party  prepara- 
tions. 

"  Jasper,"  cried  Polly  that  evening,  as  they 
ran  into  the  music-room  to  play  a  duet,  "  we're 
all  right  about  everything  now,  as  your  father 


66         FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

says  we  may  invite  the  girls  and  your 
friends." 

"  And  he  said  when  I  asked  him  if  we  ought 
not  to  have  cake  and  coffee,  '  I'll  attend  to 
that,'  "  said  Jasper,  "  so  everything  is  all 
straight  as  far  as  I  can  see,  Polly." 

"  The  private  boxes  trouble  me,  I  must  con- 
fess," said  Polly,  drumming  absently  on  the 
keys,  while  Jasper  spread  the  sheet  of  music 
on  the  rack.  "  You  know  there  must  be  two ; 
one  for  dear  Mr.  King  and  one  for  the  boys  as 
guests  of  honor.  Now  how  shall  we  manage 
them?" 

She  took  her  hand  off  suddenly  from  the 
keys  and  folded  it  over  its  fellow  on  her  knee, 
to  study  his  face  anxiously. 

"  It's  pretty  hard  to  get  them  up,  that's  a 
fact,"  said  Jasper  truthfully,  "  but  then,  you 
know,  Polly,  we've  always  found  that  when  a 
thing  had  to  be  done,  it  was  done.  You  know 
the  little  brown  house  taught  us  that." 

"  So  it  did,"  said  Polly,  brightening  up. 
"  Dear  little  old  brown  house,  how  could  I 
ever  forget  it!    Well,  I  suppose,"  with  a  sigh, 


WELCOME   HOME!  67 

"  it  will  come  to  us  as  an  inspiration  when  it's 
time  to  fix  them." 

"  I  suppose  so  too,"  said  Mrs.  Pepper,  pass- 
ing the  door,  as  usual  with  her  mending  bas- 
ket, "  and  when  two  people  start  to  play  a  duet, 
I  think  they  much  better  put  their  minds  on 
that,  and  not  waste  precious  time  on  all  sorts 
of  questions  that  will  take  care  of  themselves 
when  the  time  comes." 

"  You  are  right,  Mrs.  Pepper,"  cried  Jasper 
with  a  laugh,  and  seating  himself  before  the 
piano.     "  Come,  Polly !  " 

"  Mamsie  is  always  right,  isn't  she,  Jas- 
per? "  cried  Polly  with  pride,  putting  her  hands 
down  for  the  first  chords. 

"  Indeed  she  is,"  responded  the  boy  heartily. 
"  Here  now,  Polly,  remember,  you  slipped  up 
a  bit  on  that  first  bar.     Now !  " 

The  twenty-first  of  December  came  all  too 
soon  for  Polly  and  Jasper,  whose  school  duties 
had  engrossed  them  till  two  days  before,  but 
after  hard  work  getting  up  the  stage  properties, 
and  the  many  rehearsals,  everything  was  at 
last  pronounced  ready,  the  drawing-room  and 
music-room   locked,    the   keys   given  to   Mrs. 


68         FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

Whitney  who  promised  faithfully  to  see  that 
no  one  peeped  in  who  should  not,  and  Polly 
hurried  into  her  hat  and  jacket,  to  go  to  the 
station  with  Jasper  to  meet  the  boys. 

Thomas  drove  furiously,  as  they  were  a  bit 
late,  and  they  arrived  only  a  minute  before  the 
train  puffed  in. 

"Here  they  are!"  cried  Polly,  and  "Here 
they  are ! "  cried  Jasper,  together,  in  great 
excitement,  on  the  platform. 

"  Halloo,  Polly !  "  cried  Joel,  prancing  out 
of  the  car  first,  and  "How  d'ye  do,  Polly?" 
as  they  all  hurried  after.  "  Halloo,  Jas- 
per!" 

"  Oh,  Polly !  it's  good  to  see  you !  "  The 
from  Davie,  not  ashamed  to  set  a  kiss  on  her 
red  lips. 

Van  and  Percy  looked  as  if  they  wanted  to, 
but  contented  themselves  with  wringing  her 
hand  nearly  off,  while  Joel  declared  he  would 
look  after  the  luggage. 

"  No,  I  will,"  cried  Van,  dropping  Polly's 
hand. 

"  You  forget,"  said  Percy  quietly,  "  I  hold 
the  checks,  I'll  attend  to  it  myself."     He  un- 


WELCOME   HOME!  69 

closed  his  brown  traveling  glove,  and  Van,  at 
sight  of  them,  turned  back. 

"  Go  along,  do,  then,"  he  cried ;  "  I  don't 
want  to,  I'm  sure;  I'd  much  rather  stay  with 
Polly.  How  d'ye  do,  Thomas?"  he  called 
carelessly  to  the  coachman  on  his  box,  who  was 
continually  touching  his  hat  and  indulging  in 
broad  smiles  of  content. 

Polly  was  tiptoeing  in  very  delight,  holding 
Davie's  hand  closely  while  her  eyes  roved  from 
one  to  the  other  of  the  boys,  and  her  tongue  ran 
fast  indeed.  A  group  of  girls,  who  had  also 
come  down  to  the  station  to  meet  friends, 
stopped  a  bit  as  they  came  laughing  and  chat- 
ting by. 

"  How  d'ye,  boys?  "  they  said  carelessly  to 
the  three  home-comers.  "  Oh,  Polly !  won't  it 
be  entrancing  to-night?"  cried  one  of  them, 
seizing  her  arm  as  she  spoke. 

"  Hush !  "  said  Polly,  as  she  tried  to  stop 
her. 

"  May  I  bring  Elsie  Fay?  she's  come  on  the 
train  to  stay  over  Christmas  with  her  aunt. 
May  I,  Polly  ?  "  begged  another  girl  eagerly. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  Polly  in  a  paroxysm  of  fear 


7o 


'-i 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


lest  Joel,  who  was  crowding  up  between  them, 
should  catch  a  word;  "do  be  still,"  she 
whispered.  "  Bring  anybody ;  only  stop, 
Alexia." 

"He  won't  hear,"  said  Alexia  carelessly; 
"  that  boy  doesn't  mind  our  talking ;  his  head's 
full  of  skating  and  coasting." 

"  You're  going  to  have  something  to-night 
that  you  don't  want  me  to  know  about,"  de- 
clared Joel,  his  chubby  face  set  defiantly,  and 
crowding  closer ;  "so  there;  now  I'm  going  to 
find  out  what  it  is." 

"If  we  don't  want  you  to  know,  you  ought 
not  to  try  to  find  out,  Joel  Pepper,"  cried 
Alexia.     "  And  you  sha'n't,  either." 

"  There,  now  you  see,"  cried  Polly,  unable 
to  keep  still,  while  her  face  grew  red  too.  "  O 
dear!  what  shall  we  do?  " 

"You  are  —  you  are,"  cried  Joel,  capering 
up  and  down  the  platform,  his  black  eyes  shin- 
ing with  delight.  "  Now  I  know  for  certain, 
and  it's  at  our  house,  too,  for  you  asked  Polly 
if  you  might  bring  some  other  girl,  Elsie  some- 
body or  other,  so !    Oh !    I'll  soon  know." 

"  Joel,"  exclaimed  Jasper  suddenly,  clapping 


WELCOME   HOME!  71 

him  on  the  shoulder,  "I'm  going  round  to  the 
gymnasium;   want  to  go  with  me?  " 

Joel  stopped  his  capering  at  once,  this  new 
idea  thrusting  out  the  old  one. 

"  Don't  I,  though !  "  he  cried,  with  a  nod  at 
Polly  and  her  friends.  "  But  I'll  find  out  when 
I  do  get  home,"  the  nod  declared  plainly. 

But  Jasper  also  nodded.  He  said,  "  He 
won't  get  home  till  late ;  depend  on  me."  And 
then  "Come  on,  Joe,"  he  cried;  "I'm  going 
to  walk,"  and  they  were  off. 

Alexia  pinched  Polly's  gray  woollen  jacket 
sleeve  convulsively.  "  What  an  escape,"  she 
breathed. 

"  Here  comes  Percy,"  cried  Polly  nervously, 
and  she  broke  away  from  her  and  the  other 
girls,  and  ran  to  meet  him,  and  the  two  boys 
following. 

"  Where's  Jasper  ?  "  asked  Percy,  rendered 
quite  important  in  air  and  step,  from  his  en- 
counter with  the  baggage  officials. 

"Oh!  he  isn't  going  home  with  us,"  said 
Polly.  "  Come,  do  let  us  get  in,"  and  she 
scampered  off  to  the  carriage,  and  climbed 
within. 


72         FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  That's  funny,"  said  Percy,  jumping  in 
after. 

Van  opened  his  lips  to  tell  where  Jasper  had 
gone,  but  remembering  Percy's  delight  in  such 
an  expedition,  he  closed  them  quickly,  and 
added  himself  to  the  company  in  the  carriage. 
Davie  followed,  and  closed  the  door  quickly. 

"Stop!  where's  Joel?"  asked  Percy. 
"  Thomas,  we've  forgotton  Joe,"  rapping  on 
the  glass  to  the  coachman. 

"  No,  we  haven't ;  he  isn't  going  to  drive," 
said  Polly. 

"  Oh !  "  and  Percy,  thinking  that  Joel  had 
stolen  a  march  on  them  on  his  good  strong 
legs,  now  cried  lustily,  "  Go  on,  Thomas ;  get 
ahead  as  fast  as  you  can,"  and  presently  he  was 
lost  in  the  babel  of  laughter  and  chatter  going 
on  in  the  coach. 

"  I've  a  piece  of  news,"  presently  cried  Van 
in  a  lull.  "  Davie's  bringing  home  a  prize ;  first 
in  classics,  you  know." 

"  Oh,  Davie !  "  screamed  Polly,  and  she 
leaned  over  to  throw  her  arms  around  him; 
"  Mamsie  will  be  so  glad.  Davie,  you  can't 
think  how  glad  she'll  be !  " 


WELCOME   HOME! 


73 


Davie's  brown  cheek  glowed.  "  It  isn't 
much,"  he  said  simply,  "  there  were  so  many- 
prizes  given  out." 

"  Well,  you've  taken  one,"  cried  Polly,  say- 
ing the  blissful  words  over  and  over.  "  How 
perfectly  elegant !  " 

Van  drummed  on  the  carriage  window  dis- 
contentedly. "  I  could  have  taken  one  if  I'd 
had  the  mind  to." 

"  Hoh-oh !  "  shouted  Percy  over  in  his  cor- 
ner. "  Well,  you  didn't  have  the  mind ;  that's 
what  was  wanting." 

"  You  keep  still,"  cried  Van,  flaming  up,  and 
whirling  away  from  his  window.  "  You  didn't 
take  any,  either.  Polly,  his  head  was  under 
water  all  the  time,  unless  some  of  the  boys 
tugged  him  along  every  day.  We  hardly  got 
him  home  at  all." 

"  No  such  thing,"  contradicted  Percy  flatly, 
his  face  growing  red.  "  Polly,  he  tells  perfectly 
awful  yarns.  You  mustn't  believe  him,  Polly. 
You  won't,  will  you  ?  "  He  leaned  over  appeal- 
ingly  toward  her. 

"Oh!  don't,  don't,"  cried  Polly,  quite  dis- 
maved,  "  talk  so  to  each  other." 


74 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


"  Well,  he's  so  hateful,"  cried  Van,  "  and  the 
airs  he  gives  himself !  I  can't  stand  them,  Polly, 
you  know  "  — 

"And  he's  just  as  mean,"  cried  Percy  vin- 
dictively. "  Oh !  you  can't  think,  Polly.  Here 
we  are,"  as  Thomas  gave  a  grand  flourish 
through  the  stone  gateway,  and  up  to  the  steps. 

"  I'll  help  you  out,"  and  he  sprang  out  first. 

"  No,  I  will,"  declared  Van,  opening  the  door 
on  the  other  side,  jumping  out  and  running 
around  the  carriage.  "  Here,  Polly,  take  my 
hand,  do." 

"  No,  I  got  here  first,"  said  Percy  eagerly, 
his  brown  glove  extended  quite  beyond  Van's 
hand. 

"  I  don't  want  any  one  to  help  me,  who 
speaks  so  to  his  brother,"  said  Polly  in  a  low 
voice,  and  with  her  most  superb  air  stepping 
down  alone,  she  ran  up  the  steps  to  leave  them 
staring  in  each  other's  faces. 

Here  everybody  came  hurrying  out  to  the 
porch,  and  they  were  soon  drawn  into  the  warm 
loving  welcome  awaiting  them. 

"  Oh,  Felicie !  I  don't  want  that  dress,"  said 
Pollv  as  she  ran  into  her  room  after  dinner,  to 


WELCOME   HOME!  75 

Mrs.  Whitney's  French  maid,  "  I'm  going  to 
wear  my  brown  cashmere." 

"  Oh,  Mademoiselle !  "  remonstrated  Felicie, 
adjusting  the  ruffle  in  the  neck  of  the  white 
nun's  veiling  over  her  arm. 

"Oh,  no,  Polly!  I  wouldn't,"  began  Mrs. 
Pepper,  coming  in,  "  the  white  one  is  better 
for  to-night." 

"  Mamsie!  "  cried  Polly,  breaking  away  from 
the  mirror  where  she  was  pulling  into  place  the 
bright  brown  waves  over  her  forehead,  "  how 
lovely !  you've  put  on  your  black  silk ;  and  your 
hair  is  just  beautiful !  " 

"  Madame  has  ze  fine  hair,"  said  Felicie, 
"  only  I  wish  zee  would  gif  it  to  me  to  pre- 
paire." 

"  Yes,  I  have  good  hair,"  said  Mrs.  Pepper, 
"  and  I'm  thankful  for  it.  No  one  looks 
dressed  up,  in  my  opinion,  with  a  ragged  head. 
The  finer  the  gown,  the  worse  it  makes  careless 
hair  look.  No,  Polly,  I  wouldn't  wear  the 
brown  dress  to-night." 

"  Why,  Mamsie !  "  exclaimed  Polly  in  sur- 
prise, "  I  thought  you'd  say  it  was  just  the 
thing  when  only  the  girls  and  Jappy's  friends 


76         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

are  coming  to  the  play.  Besides,  I  don't  want 
to  look  too  dressed  up;  the  Princess  ought  to 
be  the  only  one  in  a  white  gown." 

"  You  won't  be  too  conspicious,"  said  her 
mother ;  adding  slowly,  "  you  might  wear  the 
nun's  veiling  well  enough  as  you  haven't  any 
part  in  the  play,  Polly,"  and  she  scanned  the 
rosy  face  keenly. 

"  I  don't  want  any  part,"  cried  Polly;  "  they 
all  play  better  than  I  do.  Somebody  must  see 
that  everything  goes  off  well  behind  the  scenes ; 
that's  my  place,  Mamsie.  Besides,  you  forget 
I  am  to  play  my  sonata." 

"  I  don't  forget,"  said  her  mother;  "  all  the 
more  reason  you  should  wear  the  white  gown, 
then," 

"  All  right,"  cried  Polly,  merrily  dashing 
across  the  room  to  Felicie,  "  put  it  over  my 
head,  do.  Well,  I'm  glad  you  think  it  is  right 
to  wear  it,  Mamsie,"  as  the  soft  folds  fell 
around  her.  "  I  just  love  this  dress.  Oh, 
Auntie !  how  perfectly  exquisite !  " 

Mrs.  Whitney  came  in  smilingly  and  put  a 
kiss   on   the   tall   girl's   cheek.      "  Do   I   look 


WELCOME   HOME!  77 

nicely  ?  "  she  asked  naively,  turning  around  un- 
der the  chandelier. 

"Nicely?"  exclaimed  Polly,  lifting  her 
hands,  "  why  you  are  fresh  from  fairyland. 
You  are  so  good  to  put  on  that  lovely  blue  moire 
and  your  diamond  cross,  just  for  the  boys  and 
girls." 

"  I  am  glad  you  like  it,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney 
hastily.  "  Now,  Polly,  don't  you  worry  about 
anything ;  I'll  see  that  the  last  things  are  done." 

"  Well,  I  am  worrying,"  confessed  Polly, 
quite  in  a  tremble ;  "  I  must  see  to  one  corner 
of  the  private  box  for  the  boys.  You  know  the 
last  India  shawl  you  lent  me  wasn't  pinned  up 
straight  and  I  couldn't  fix  it,  for  Van  wanted 
me  just  then,  and  I  couldn't  get  away  without 
his  suspecting  something.  Oh,  Auntie !  if  you 
would  see  to  that." 

"  I  will,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney,  not  daring  to 
look  at  Mrs.  Pepper,  "  and  to  all  the  other 
things ;  don't  give  a  thought  to  them,  Polly." 

"  Plow  good  you  are,"  cried  Polly  with  a  sigh 
of  relief.  "  Oh,  Auntie !  we  couldn't  do  any- 
thing without  you." 

"  And  you  don't  need  to  go  into  the  drawing- 


78         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

room  at  all,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney,  going  to  the 
,door  "  Just  keep  behind  the  scenes,  and  get 
your  actors  and  Phronsie  ready,  and  your 
mother  and  I  will  receive  your  friends.  Come, 
Mrs.  Pepper." 

"  That  is  splendid,"  cried  Polly,  left  behind 
with  the  maid,  "  now  I  can  get  ready  without 
flying  into  a  flurry,  Felicie;  and  then  for 
Phronsie  and  the  rest !  " 

"  There  is  a  dreadful  commotion  in  there 
among  the  audience,"  said  Jasper,  out  in  the 
green  room ;  "I  imagine  every  one  who  had  an 
'  invite,'  has  come.  But  I  don't  see  how  they 
can  make  such  a  noise." 

"  Oh!  a  few  girls  and  boys  make  just  about 
as  much  confusion  as  a  good  many,"  observed 
Polly.  "  Jasper,  wouldn't  you  like  to  see  Joel's 
eyes  when  Aunt  Whitney  leads  him  into  the 
private  box  ?  "  she  allowed  herself  time  to  ex- 
claim. 

"  Yes,"  laughed  Jasper,  pulling  out  his  watch 
from  beneath  his  dragon-skin;  "  well,  we  have 
only  five  minutes  more,  Polly.  We  must  have 
the  curtain  up  sharp." 

"  O  dear,  dear !  "  cried  Polly,  flying  here  and 


WELCOME   HOME!  79 

there  to  bestow  last  touches  on  the  different 
members  of  her  cast.  "  Now,  Clare,  you  must 
remember  not  to  give  such  a  shriek  when  you 
go  on,  mustn't  he,  Jappy?  Just  a  dull,  sullen 
roar,  your  part  is." 

"  Well,  I'm  nearly  dead  under  here,"  cried 
Clare,  glaring  beneath  his  dragon  face.  "  I'll 
shriek,  or  roar,  just  as  I  like,  so !  " 

"  Very  well,"  said  Polly,  "  I  don't  know  but 
it's  as  well,  after  all,  that  you  are  cross ;  you'll 
be  more  effective,"  she  added  coolly.  "  Let  me 
see  —  oh !  the  door  of  the  cave  wants  a  bit 
more  of  gray  moss ;  it  looks  thin  where  it  hangs 
over.  You  get  it,  will  you,  Hannah?  "  to  one 
of  the  maids  who  was  helping. 

"  And  just  one  thing  more,"  scanning  hastily 
the  stage  setting,  "  another  Chinese  lantern  is 
needed  right  here,"  going  toward  the  front  of 
the  stage,  "  and  that  green  bush  is  tumbling 
over ;  do  set  it  straight,  somebody ;  there  now, 
I  believe  everything  is  all  ready.  Now  let  us 
peep  out  of  the  curtain,  and  get  one  good  look 
at  the  audience.  Come,  Phronsie,  here's  a  fine 
place ;  come,  boys !  " 

The  different  members  of  the  cast  now  ap- 


80         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

plied  their  eyes  to  as  many  cracks  in  the  curtain 
as  could  be  hastily  managed. 

There  was  a  breathing  space. 

"  What,  what?  "  cried  Polly,  gazing  into  the 
sea  of  faces,  and  the  dragons  nearly  knocked 
the  Princess  over  as  Mr.  King  gave  the  signal 
for  the  band  stationed  in  the  wide  hall,  to  send 
out  their  merriest  strains. 


CHAPTER  V. 

AFTER  THE  PLAY. 

TT  was  all  over.  Phronsie  had  been  swept 
•*-  off,  a  vision  of  loveliness,  to  the  cave ;  the 
dragons  had  roared  their  loudest,  and  the  gal- 
lant knight  had  covered  himself  with  glory  in 
the  brilliant  rescue  of  the  Princess;  the  little 
page  had  won  the  hearts  of  all  the  ladies ;  Mr. 
King  had  applauded  himself  hoarse,  especially 
during  the  delivery  of  the  prologue,  when  "  I 
cry  you  mercy,  sirs,  and  ladies  fair,"  rang  out; 
the  musical  efforts  of  Polly  and  Jasper  in  the 
"  Wait  "  between  the  two  acts  were  over,  and 
the  crowded  house,  in  every  way  possible,  had 
expressed  itself  delighted  with  all  things  from 
beginning  to  end. 

"  Phronsie,  Phronsie,  they're  calling  you," 
whispered  Polly  excitedly,  out  in  the  green 
room. 

81 


82         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  Come,  Princess."  The  head  dragon  held 
out  his  hand.    "  Hurry  dear !  See  the  flowers !  " 

"  They  can't  be  for  me,"  said  Phronsie, 
standing  quite  still ;  "  Polly  has  done  all  the 
work;  they're  hers." 

"  Nonsense,  child !  "  cried  Polly,  giving  her 
a  gentle  push  forward.  "  Go  on,  and  take 
them." 

"  Polly,  you  come  too,"  begged  Phronsie,  re- 
fusing to  stir,  and  holding  her  by  the  gown. 

"  I  can't,  Phronsie,"  cried  Polly  in  distress ; 
"  don't  you  see  they  haven't  called  me.  Go  on, 
child,  if  you  love  me,"  she  implored. 

Phronsie,  not  being  able  to  resist  this, 
dropped  Polly's  gown  and  floated  before  the 
footlights. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said,  bowing  gravely  to 
the  sea  of  faces,  as  her  hands  were  filled  with 
roses,  "  but  I  shall  give  these  to  Polly,  because 
we  couldn't  any  of  us  have  done  it  without 
her."  And  so  she  brought  them  back  to  put 
into  dismayed  Polly's  lap. 

"The  authors  —  the  authors  of  the  play!" 
cried  a  strong  voice,  privately  urged  on  by  Mr. 
King. 


AFTER   THE   PLAY 


83 


"  There,  novv's  your  turn,"  cried  Clare  to 
Polly.  "  And  go  ahead,  old  dragon,"  to  Jas- 
per, "  make  your  prettiest  bow." 

So  the  chief  dragon  led  up  blushing  Polly 
to  the  front  of  the  stage,  to  hear  a  neat 
little  speech  from  Mr.  Alstyne,  thanking  them 
for  the  pleasure  of  the  evening  and  congratu- 
lating them  on  its  success ;  and  the  band  played 
again,  the  camp  chairs  were  folded  up  and 
removed,  the  green-room  and  stage  were  de- 
serted, and  actors  and  audience  mingled  in  a 
gay,  confusing  throng. 

Phronsie,  in  her  little  silver  and  white  gown 
and  gleaming  cap,  began  to  wander  among  the 
guests,  unconscious  that  she  had  not  on  the 
red  cashmere  dress  she  had  worn  all  day. 
Groups  stopped  their  conversation  to  take  her 
into  their  midst,  passing  her  on  at  last  as  one 
might  hand  over  a  precious  parcel  to  the  next 
waiting  hands.  Polly,  seeing  that  she  was  well 
cared  for,  gave  herself  up  to  the  enjoyment 
of  the  evening. 

"Well,  sir,  how  did  you  like  it?"  asked 
Jasper,  with  a  small  pat  on  Joel's  back. 

"  Well  enough,"  said  Joel,  "  but  why  didn't 


84         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

you  make  more  of  it?  You  could  have  crawled 
up  on  top  of  the  cave,  and  slashed  around 
there;  and  you  old  dragons  were  just  three 
muffs  in  the  last  act.  I'd  rather  have  had 
Polly  in  the  play;  she's  twice  the  '  go  '  in  her." 

"  So  would  we  all  have  preferred  Polly," 
cried  Jasper,  bursting  into  a  laugh,  "  but  she 
wouldn't  act  —  she  directed  everything ;  she 
was  all  the  play,  in  fact." 

Polly  meanwhile  was  saying  to  Pickering 
Dodge,  "  No,  not  to-night ;  you  must  dance 
with  one  of  the  other  girls." 

"  But  I  don't  choose  to  dance  with  anybody 
but  you,"  said  Pickering,  holding  out  his  hand. 
"  Come,  Polly,  you  can't  refuse ;  they're  form- 
ing the  Lancers.     Hurry !  " 

Polly's  feet  twitched  nervously  under  her 
white  gown,  and  she  longed  more  than  ever 
after  the  excitement  she  had  passed  through, 
to  lose  herself  in  the  witching  music,  and  the 
mazy  dance.  She  hesitated  a  bit,  but  just  then 
glancing  across  the  room,  "  Come,"  she  said, 
"  I  want  you  to  dance  with  Ray  Simmons. 
You  can't  refuse,"  using  his  own  words ;  and 
before  he  was  conscious  how  it  was  done,  he 


AFTER   THE    PLAY  85 

was  by  Ray's  side,  and  asking  for  the  pleas- 
ure of  the  dance. 

Polly  stood  quite  still  and  saw  them  go 
away  and  take  the  last  places  in  the  set,  and 
a  sorry  little  droop  fell  upon  the  curves  of 
the  laughing  mouth.  She  was  very  tired,  and 
the  elation  that  had  possessed  her  over  the 
success  of  the  evening  was  fast  dropping  out, 
now  that  everybody  was  enjoying  themselves 
in  their  own  way,  leaving  her  alone.  She  felt 
left  out  in  the  cold;  and  though  she  fought 
against  it,  a  faint  feeling  of  regret  stole  over 
her  for  what  she  had  done.  She  almost 
wished  she  was  standing  there  by  the  side  of 
Pickering  Dodge,  one  of  the  bright  group  on 
whom  the  eyes  of  the  older  people  were  all 
turned,  as  they  waited  for  the  first  figure  to 
begin. 

"Well,  Polly"  —  it  was  Mr.  Alstyne  who 
spoke,  and  he  acted  as  if  he  had  come  to  stay 
by  her  side  —  "you've  covered  yourself  with 
glory  this  evening."    . 

"  Have  I,  sir?  "  asked  Polly  absently,  wish- 
ing there  had  been  less  of  the  glory,  and  a 
little  more  fun. 


86         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  said  Mr.  Alstyne,  his  keen 
eyes  searching  her  face.  "  Well,  now,  Polly, 
your  dragons,  although  not  exactly  like  any 
living  ones  extant,  made  me  think  of  some  I 
saw  at  the  Zoo,  in  London.  Do  you  want  me 
to  tell  you  how?  " 

"  Oh!  if  you  please,"  cried  Polly,  her  color 
coming  back,  and  beginning  to  forget  the 
dance  and  the  dancers. 

"  Let  us  sit  down  here,  then,"  ■'said  Mr. 
Alstyne,  drawing  her  off  to  two  chairs  in  a 
corner,  "  and  you  shall  have  the  tale.  No  pun, 
Polly,  you  know."  And  he  plunged  into  it  at 
once. 

"  Yes,  Alstyne  has  her  all  right,"  Mr.  King 
was  saying  at  the  further  end  of  the  drawing- 
room  to  Mrs.  Pepper;  he  spied  the  whole 
thing;  "he'll  take  care  of  her,  you  may 
depend." 

And  two  more  people  had  seen;  one  was 
Jasper.  Nevertheless  his  partner,  Alexia  Rhys, 
thought  it  necessary  to  enlighten  him. 

"  Just  think,  Polly's  given  up  her  chance 
with  the  best  dancer  in  the  room,   and   sent 


AFTER   THE   PLAY  87 

Pickering  Dodge  off  with  that  horrid  Ray 
Simmons/' 

Jasper  pretended  not  to  hear.  "  This  is  our 
figure,"  he  said  hastily,  and  they  whirled  off, 
finished  it,  and  were  back  again. 

"  Isn't  she  a  goose?  "  as  he  fanned  her,  and 
tried  to  introduce  another  subject. 

"  I  suppose  she  best  pleases  herself,"  said 
the  boy  indifferently.  "  Why  should  any  one 
else  interfere  in  the  matter?  " 

"  But  some  one  else  ought  to  interfere," 
cried  Alexia,  with  a  little  pout,  provoked  at 
his  indifference;  "  that's  just  the  way  she  does 
in  school  all  the  time.  Oh !  I'm  vexed  at  her, 
I  can  tell  you.  She's  so  silly  —  dear  me,  it's 
our  turn  again." 

By  the  next  interim  she  had  forgotten  all 
about  Polly  and  whether  she  was  having  a  nice 
time  or  the  stupidest  one  imaginable,  for  Joel, 
who  held  dancing  in  great  contempt,  saun- 
tered up. 

"  Aren't  you  glad  now  that  you  didn't  find 
out  about  the  secret  ?  "  cried  Alexia  radiantly. 
"  Oh !  you  are  such  a  nuisance,  Joey,"  she 
added  frankly. 


88         FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  Phooh!  "  exclaimed  Joel,  "  it  wasn't  worth 
finding  out,  that  old  secret.  But  it's  as  good 
as  girls  ever  get  up,"  he  finished  with  a  super- 
cilious air. 

"  It  was  a  perfectly  splendid  play !  "  cried 
Alexia,  "  and  much  too  good  for  a  lot  of  boys. 
Goodness,  Joey,  I  wouldn't  celebrate  if  you 
four  were  coming  home  from  school  to  our 
house.  I'd  have  the  jollification  the  night 
before  you  went  back." 

"  I  wouldn't  go  home  if  'twas  to  your 
house,"  declared  Joel  with  equal  candor.  "  I'd 
run  off  to  sea,  first." 

"  Come,  come,  you  two,  stop  sparring," 
cried  Jasper,  holding  out  his  hand ;  "  its  our 
turn  again,  Alexia.    Joel,  take  yourself  off." 

Alexia  flashing  Joel  a  bright,  making-up 
smile,  dashed  off  into  the  figure. 

"  Good-by,"  said  Joel  with  a  smile  as  cheery, 
for  he  really  liked  her  the  best  of  all  Polly's 
girl  friends. 

After  the  dance,  supper  was  announced,  and 
everybody  marched  out  to  the  supper  room ; 
the  dancers  with  their  partners  following. 

"Will  you  allow  me?"  Mr.  Alstyne  seeing 


AFTER   THE   PLAY  89 

the  movement,  got  out  of  his  chair  and  offered 
his  arm  to  Polly  with  a  courtly  bow. 

"Oh!  don't  think  of  me,  sir,"  she  began, 
blushing  very  hard.  "  Joel  will  look  out  for 
me." 

"  I  much  prefer  waiting  upon  Miss  Polly 
Pepper  to  any  other  lady  in  the  room,"  said 
Mr.  Alstyne,  with  another  bow,  courtlier  than 
the  first,  "  since  Mrs.  Alstyne  is  provided  for. 
See,  Polly,  Mr.  King  is  taking  her  out.  And 
your  mother  has  her  cavalier,  in  Mr.  Cabot; 
and  Mrs.  Whitney  has  already  gone  out  with 
Mr.  Fairfax.  So  if  you  don't  accept  my  ser- 
vices, I  shall  be  entirely  left  out  in  the  cold." 
He  stood  offering  his  arm,  and  Polly,  laugh- 
ing merrily,  put  her  hand  within  it. 

"  It's  very  good  of  you,  sir,"  she  said  sim- 
ply, as  they  fell  into  step  and  joined  the  pro- 
cession. 

"  I'm  afraid  if  you  had  trusted  to  Joel's 
tender  mercies,  you  would  have  fared  hardly," 
said  Mr.  Alstyne,  laughing.  "  Look,  Polly, 
over  yonder  in  the  corner."  They  were  just 
passing  into  the  supper  room,  and  now  caught 
sight  of  Joel  chatting  away  to  a  very  pretty 


9° 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


little  creature,  in  blue  and  white,  as  busily  and 
unconcernedly  as  if  he  had  done  that  sort  of 
thing  for  years. 

"  Why !  "  cried  Polly  quite  aghast,  "  that 
can't  be  Joel.  He  just  hates  girls,  you  know, 
Mr.  Alstyne,  and  never  goes  to  parties." 

"  He  seems  to  be  able  to  endure  it  all  very 
well  to-night,"  said  her  companion  dryly. 
"  Shall  I  get  you  an  ice,  Miss  Polly?  " 

"  Yes,  thank  you,"  said  Polly  absently,  not 
being  able  to  take  her  eyes  from  Joel  and  his 
friend.  At  last,  by  the  force  of  attraction,  he 
turned  and  looked  at  her.  But  instead  of 
showing  self-consciousness,  his  round  eyes  sur- 
veyed her  coolly,  while  he  went  on  talking  and 
laughing  with  the  little  blue-and-white  thing. 

"  Polly,  Polly,"  exclaimed  Alexia  Rhys,  hur- 
rying up,  while  Jasper  was  storming  the  supper 
table  for  her,  "  do  look  at  Joel  Pepper !  He 
actually  brought  in  a  girl  to  supper !  " 

"  I  see,"  said  Polly,  gazing  at  the  two  in 
a  fascinated  way. 

"  On  the  other  hand,"  said  Alexia,  sending 
swift,  bird-like  glances  around  the  supper 
room,  "  there  are  Van  and  Percy  moping  off 


AFTER   THE   PLAY 


91 


by  themselves  as  if  they  hadn't  a  friend  in  the 
world.  What  a  pity ;  they  used  to  be  so  lively 
at  parties." 

Polly  wrenched  her  gaze  away  from  the  as- 
tonishing sight  on  which  it  had  been  fixed,  and 
following  Alexia's  glance,  took  a  keen  look 
over  at  the  young  Whitneys.  "  Oh !  oh !  I 
must  go  to  them,"  she  cried  remorsefully. 
"  Tell  Mr.  Alstyne,  please,  when  he  comes 
back,  where  I  am,"  and  without  another  word 
she  dashed  back  of  some  gaily  dressed  ladies 
just  entering  the  supper  room,  and  was  out  of 
the  door. 

"If  I  ever  did!"  cried  Alexia  irritably  to 
herself,  "  see  anything  so  queer !  Now  she 
thinks  she  must  race  after  those  boys.  I  wish 
I'd  kept  still.  Jasper,  she's  just  as  funny  as 
ever,"  as  he  came  up  with  a  plate  of  salad,  and 
some  oysters. 

"Who?"  said  the  boy;  "is  this  right, 
Alexia  ?  "  offering  the  plate. 

"Why,  Polly,"  said  Alexia;  "yes,  that's 
lovely,"  with  a  comforted  glance  at  the  plate 
and  its  contents.  "  Oh !  she's  gone  off,  Mr. 
Alstyne,"  to  that  gentleman,  approaching  with 


92 


FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


Polly's  ice.  "  You  can't  expect  her  to  stay 
for  the  goodies,"  beginning  to  nibble  at  her 
own. 

"  Where  is  she?  "  cried  Mr.  Alstyne,  laugh- 
ing, and  sweeping  the  room  with  his  brown 
eyes.  "  Oh !  I  see,"  his  glance  lighting  on  the 
Whitney  boys'  corner. 

"  Yes,  she  told  me  to  tell  you,"  said  Alexia, 
between  her  mouth fuls  of  salad  and  oyster, 
"  where  she  is,"  as  he  started. 

"  Oh,  Percy  and  Van !  "  Polly  was  whisper- 
ing hurriedly,  "  I'm  sorry  I  hurt  your  feelings, 
only  it  was  so  very  dreadful,  you  know,  to 
hear  you  go  on  so  to  each  other." 

"  We  didn't  mean  anything,"  said  Percy, 
pushing  one  foot  back  and  forth  in  an  em- 
barrassed way,  and  looking  as  if  he  did  not 
know  what  to  do  with  his  hands,  which  con- 
fused him  more  than  anything  else,  as  he  had 
been  quite  sure  of  them  on  all  previous  occa- 
sions. 

Van  thrust  his  into  his  pockets,  and  seemed 
on  the  point  of  whistling,  but  remembering 
where  he  was,  took  his  lips  speedily  out  of  their 
curves,  and  looked  the  other  way. 


AFTER   THE   PLAY 


93 


Just  then  Mr.  Alstyne  came  up. 

"  Oh !  "  cried  Polly  suddenly,  the  color  rush- 
ing over  her  face.  "  Could  you,  Mr.  Alstyne, 
give  that  to  some  one  else?  Percy  and  Van 
are  going  to  wait  upon  me." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  said  Mr.  Alstyne  in  a  flash, 
"  nothing  easier;  "  and  he  disappeared  as  sud- 
denly as  he  came. 

"  Now,  boys,"  said  Polly,  turning  back  to 
them  and  whispering  busily,  "  I  know  you 
won't  ever  say  such  perfectly  dreadful  things 
to  each  other  again.  And  so  I'm  going  to  ask 
you  both  to  get  me  something  to  eat,  will 
you?" 

"  How  do  you  know  we  won't  ?  "  cried  Percy 
slowly.  He  was  sorry  enough  for  the  episode 
in  the  coach,  yet  couldn't  resist  the  temptation 
to  show  he  was  not  to  be  driven. 

"  Because  I  shall  then  have  nothing  what- 
ever to  eat,"  said  Polly  merrily,  "  for  of  course 
I  can't  take  a  bit  from  anybody  else  after 
refusing  Mr.  Alstyne's  kindness.  Don't  you 
see?  Oh,  Percy!  you  wouldn't  quite  do 
that?" 

Van  laughed.     "  She's  got  us,   Percy,"  he 


94 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


said,  "  quite  fast.  You  know  you  won't  fight, 
and  I  won't  again;  we  both  said  so  a  little 
while  back ;  so  what's  the  good  of  holding  out 
now  ?  " 

Percy  drew  himself  up  very  slowly  and  de- 
cidedly. "  I  won't  trouble  you  so  again, 
Polly,"  holding  out  his  hand.  "  Now  would 
you  like  oysters?  "  all  in  the  same  breath. 

"  And  here's  mine,"  cried  Van,  extending 
his  brown  one.  "  Can't  I  bring  you  some 
salad?" 

"  Yes,  yes,"  cried  Polly  gaily,  and  she  re- 
leased their  hands  after  a  cordial  grasp.  "  You 
may  bring  me  everything  straight  through, 
boys,"  as  they  rushed  off,  heads  erect,  to  the 
crowded  supper-table. 

"You've  had  a  good  time?"  asked  Mrs. 
Pepper  slowly,  with  a  keen  glance  into  the 
flushed  face  and  sparkling  eyes,  as  they  turned 
up  the  gas  in  Polly's  bedroom.  "  Dear  me ! 
it  is  half-past  eleven." 

"  Splendid,"  said  Polly,  shaking  herself  free 
from  the  white  gown  and  beginning  to  biaid 
her  hair  for  the  night.  "  Percy  and  Van  were 
perfectly  lovely,  and  Mr.  Alstyne  was  so  good 


AFTER   THE    PLAY 


95 


to  me.  And  oh !  Mamsie,  isn't  dear  Mr.  King 
just  the  dearest  dear,  to  give  all  this  to  the 
boys?    We  haven't  thanked  him  half  enough." 

"  He  is  indeed,"  said  Mrs.  Pepper  heartily. 
"Why,  where  is  Phronsie?"  looking  around 
the  room. 

"  She  was  right  back  of  you,"  said  Polly. 
"  She  wanted  to  take  off  her  things  herself. 
Did  vou  ever  see  such  a  sweet  "  —  she  began, 
but  Mrs.  Pepper  did  not  stop  to  hear,  hurry- 
ing out  to  the  adjoining  room,  shared  by  the 
mother  and  her  baby. 

"  She  isn't  here,"  Polly  heard  her  say  in 
bewildered  tones.  So  Polly,  her  long  hair 
blown  about  her  face,  ran  in,  brush  in  hand. 

"  Why,  where  "  —  she  began  laughingly. 

"  She  wouldn't  go  down-stairs,  I  don't 
think,"  said  Mrs.  Pepper,  peering  in  all  the 
corners,  and  even  meditating  a  look  under  the 
bed. 

"  No,  no,"  cried  Polly,  "  the  lights  are  all 
turned  out,"  investigating  all  possible  and  im- 
possible nooks  that  a  mouse  could  creep  into. 
"  Where  can  she  be?    Phronsie  —  Phronsie!  " 

"  Well,   of  course  she  is  down-stairs,"  de- 


96         FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

clared  Mrs.  Pepper  at  last,  hurrying  out  of  the 
room. 

"  Take  a  candle,  Mamsie,  you'll  fall,"  cried 
Polly,  and  throwing  on  her  bath  wrapper,  she 
seized  the  light  from  the  mantel  and  hurried 
after  her. 

Half-way  down  she  could  hear  Phronsie's 
gay  little  laugh,  and  catch  the  words  "  Good- 
night, my  dear  Grandpapa,"  and  then  she  came 
slowly  out  from  Mr.  King's  sitting-room,  and 
softly  closed  the  door. 

"Phronsie!"  exclaimed  Polly,  sitting  down 
on  the  middle  of  the  stairs,  the  candle  shak- 
ing ominously,  "  how  could  "  — 

"  Hush !  "  said  Mrs.  Pepper,  who  had  fum- 
bled her  way  along  the  hall.  "  Don't  say  any- 
thing. Oh,  Phronsie  dear,  so  you  went  down 
to  bid  Grandpapa  good-night,  did  you?  " 

Phronsie  turned  a  glance  of  gentle  surprise 
on  her  mother,  and  then  looked  up  at  Polly. 

"  No,  not  exactly  to  bid  him  good-night," 
she  said  slowly.  "  I  was  afraid  he  was  sick ; 
I  heard  him  coughing,  so  I  went  down." 

"He  is  quite  well,   isn't  he?"  asked  Mrs. 


AFTER   THE   PLAY 


97 


Pepper.  "  Here,  give  me  your  hand,  child ; 
we  must  get  up  to  bed." 

"  Oh,  yes !  he  is  quite  really  and  truly  all 
well,"  declared  Phronsie,  breaking  into  an- 
other glad  little  laugh.  "  He  said  he  never 
had  such  a  beautiful  time  in  his  life,  and  he 
is  just  as  well  as  he  can  be.  Oh,  Polly !  "  as  she 
picked  up  her  Princess  gown  and  prepared  to 
ascend  the  stairs,  "  how  funny  you  look  sitting 
there'" 

"  Funny?  "  said  Polly  grimly.  "  I  dare  say, 
and  I  feel  funny  too,  Phronsie." 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE   LITTLE   BROWN    HOUSE. 

r  |  ^HEY  were  all  sitting  around  the  library 
■*•  fire;  Polly  under  the  pretext  of  holding 
Phronsie's  head  in  her  lap,  was  sitting  on  the 
rug  beside  her,  the  boys  on  either  hand;  old 
Mr.  King  was  marching  up  and  down  the  long 
room,  and  looking  at  them.  The  merriest  of 
stories  had  been  told,  Polly  urging  on  all  the 
school  records  of  jolly  times,  and  those  not  so 
enjoyable;  songs  had  been  sung,  and  all  sorts 
of  nonsense  aired.  At  last  Joel  sprang  up  and 
ran  over  to  pace  by  the  old  gentleman's  side. 

"  Christmas  was  good  enough,"  said  the  boy, 
by  way  of  beginning  conversation. 

"  Hey?  "  responded  the  old  gentleman,  look- 
ing down  at  him,  "  I  should  think  it  was.  Well, 
and  how  about  the  wonderful  play  on  the 
98 


THE   LITTLE   BROWN    HOUSE  99 

twenty- first  ?  And  that  was  good  enough,  too, 
I  dare  say." 

"  That  was  well  enough,"  said  Joel  indif- 
ferently, "  I  don't  care  for  such  stuff,  though." 

"  Tut  —  tut !  "  cried  Mr.  King  in  pretended 
anger,  "  now  I  won't  have  anything  said 
against  that  wonderful  production.  Not  a 
thing,  sir,  do  you  hear?  " 

Joel  laughed,  his  chubby  face  twinkling  all 
over  in  secret  amusement.  "  Well,  I  know 
something  better,  if  you'll  only  let  us  do  it, 
sir,  than  a  hundred  old  plays." 

"  And  pray  what  is  it  ?  "  demanded  Mr. 
King,  "  let's  have  it  at  once.  But  the  idea  of 
surpassing  the  play!  Oh,  no,  no,  it  can't  be 
done,  sir !  " 

"  It's  to  go  and  see  the  Little  Brown  House," 
said  Joel,  standing  up  on  his  tiptoes  to  a  level 
with  the  old  gentleman's  ear,  and  one  eye  look- 
ing backward  to  see  that  nobody  heard. 

Mr.  King  started,  pulled  his  handsome  mous- 
tache thoughtfully,  looked  at  Joel  sharply,  and 
then  over  at  the  group  in  the  firelight. 

"  They  don't  know  anything  about  it,"  cried 
the  boy  in  a  whisper,  "  don't  tell  them,  it's  my 


IOO       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

secret,  and  yours,"  added  generously.  "Oh! 
if  we  might  only  go  and  look  at  it." 

"  It's  winter,"  observed  the  old  gentleman, 
and  stepping  to  the  window  he  put  aside  the 
draperies,  to  peer  out  into  the  black  evening. 
"  Yes,  it  really  is  winter,"  he  added  with  a 
shiver,  to  the  boy  who  was  close  behind,  and 
as  if  no  longer  in  doubt  about  it,  he  added 
most  emphatically,  "  it  really  is  winter,  Joel." 

"  Well,  but  you  never  saw  anything  like  it, 
how  magnificent  winter  is  in  Badgertown," 
cried  Joel  in  an  excited  whisper.  "  Such  hills 
to  coast  down ;  the  snow  is  always  crisp  there, 
sir,  not  like  this  dirty  town  mud.  And  the 
air  is  as  dry  as  punk,"  he  added  artfully.  "  Oh ! 
'twould  be  such  a  lark;"  he  actually  clasped 
his  hands. 

"  Badgertown  isn't  so  very  far  off,"  said  Mr. 
King  thoughtfully,  "  I'll  think  about  it  and  see 
if  we  can  manage  it." 

"  Ugh-ow !  "  squealed  Joel,  utterly  forgetful 
of  his  caution  of  secrecy,  "we  can,  we  can; 
we  can  open  the  little  brown  house,  and  build 
great  fires  there,  and  "  — 

But  he  got  no  further.     Into  the  midst  of 


THE   LITTLE   BROWN    HOUSE  ioi 

Van's  liveliest  sally,  came  the  words  "  little 
brown  house,"  bringing  all  the  young  people  to 
their  feet,  Phronsie  running  to  the  old  gentle- 
man's side,  with,  "  What  is  it,  Grandpapa  ?  He 
said  little  brown  house." 

"  Get  away !  "  cried  Joel  crossly  to  the  be- 
siegers, each  and  all  wildly  clamoring.  "  What 
is  it?  What  are  you  talking  about?  It's  my 
secret,"  he  cried,  "  and  his,"  pointing  with  a 
dismayed  finger  to  Mr.  King. 

"  Well,  it  isn't  a  secret  any  longer,"  cried 
Polly,  flushing  with  excitement.  "  You  said 
'  little  brown  house,'  we  heard  you  just  as 
plainly;  and  you're  getting  up  something,  I 
know  you  are." 

"  People  don't  usually  select  a  roomful  of 
listeners,  and  then  shout  out  their  secrets," 
said  Jasper.  "  You  are  in  for  it  now,  Joe,  and 
no  mistake.  Go  ahead,  old  fellow,  and  give 
us  the  rest  of  it." 

Joel  whirled  away  from  them  all  in  despera- 
tion. 

"  You  might  as  well,"  laughed  the  old  gen- 
tleman, "  the  mischief  is  done  now,  and  no 
mistake." 


102       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

So  Joel,  thus  set  upon,  allowed  the  whole 
beautiful  plan  to  be  wrung  from  him,  by  slow 
and  torturing  installments;  how  they  all  were 
to  go  to  Badgertown,  open  the  little  brown 
house,  and  stay  there  —  here  he  glanced  at  Mr. 
King  — "  perhaps  a  week,"  he  brought  out 
suddenly,  filling  the  time  with  all  sorts  of 
frolics,  and  playing  they  were  there  again,  and 
really  and  truly  living  in  the  old  home. 

At  last  it  was  all  out,  to  be  received  in 
different  ways  by  the  listeners. 

"  Oh,  Joe!  "  cried  Davie  with  shining  eyes. 
"  We  never  could  come  away  again  if  we 
once  get  there,  never !  " 

Polly  stood  quite  still,  a  mist  gathering  be- 
fore her  glad  eyes,  out  of  which  she  dimly 
saw  the  little  brown  house  arise  and  beckon 
to  her. 

Phronsie  jumped  up  and  down  and  clapped 
her  hands  in  glee.  "  Oh,  Grandpapa,  Grand- 
papa !  "  she  screamed,  "  please  take  us  to  the 
little  brown  house,  please !  " 

That  settled  it.  "  I  do  not  think  we  need 
to  consider  it  longer,"  said  Mr.  King,  glanc- 
ing at  Ben,  whose  face  told  what  he  thought, 


THE   LITTLE   BROWN    HOUSE 


103 


"children,  we  will  go — -that  is,  if  Mrs.  Pep- 
per says  yes." 

"  I  will  ask  her,"  cried  Joel  with  a  howl, 
springing  off. 

"  Come  on,"  cried  Jasper,  "  let's  all '  be  in  at 
the  death.'  "  And  the  library  was  deserted  in 
a  twinkling. 

But  mother  was  nowhere  to  be  found.  "  Up- 
stairs, down-stairs,  and  in  the  lady's  chamber," 
they  sought  her  wildly  and  thoroughly. 

"Oh!  I  forgot,"  exclaimed  Polly,  when  at 
last  they  gathered  in  the  wide  hall,  disposing 
themselves  on  the  chairs  and  along  the  stairs, 
all  tired  out.  "  She  has  gone  to  evening  meet- 
ing with  Auntie.  How  stupid  in  me  not  to 
remember  that." 

"  Well,  I  declare ! "  cried  a  voice  above 
them,  and  looking  up  they  met  the  cold  blue 
eyes  of  Mrs.  Chatterton  regarding  them  over 
the  railing.  "  Cousin  Horatio,  do  you  keep 
a  menagerie,  or  a  well-ordered  house,  I  beg 
,  to  inquire?  " 

"  A  menagerie,"  said  Mr.  King  coolly,  lean- 
ing on  the  balustrade  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs, 


104       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

and  looking  up  at  her.  "  All  sorts  of  strange 
animals  wander  in  here,  Cousin." 

"  Hum ;  I  understand.  I'm  not  so  dull  as 
you  think.  Well,  you've  changed,  let  me  tell 
you,  vastly,  and  not  for  the  better  either,  in  the 
last  six  years.  Who  would  ever  suppose  I 
see  before  me  fastidious  Horatio  King!"  she 
exclaimed,  lifting  her  long  thin  hands  to  show 
him  their  horror-stricken  palms. 

"  I  dare  say,  I  dare  say,  Cousin  Eunice,"  as- 
sented Mr.  King  carelessly,  "  but  I  consider 
all  you  say  as  a  compliment." 

"Compliment?"  she  repeated  disdainfully, 
and  added  with  a  rising  note  of  anger,  forget- 
ting herself,  "  there's  no  fool  like  an  old 
fool." 

"  So  I  think,"  said  Mr.  King  in  the  same 
tone  as  before.  "  Children,  come  into  my 
room  now,  and  close  the  door."  And  Consin 
Eunice  was  left  to  air  further  opinions  to  her 
own  ear. 

But  when  Mother  Pepper  and  Mrs.  Whitney 
did  come  home  from  the  meeting,  oh!  what 
a  time  there  was.  They  all  fell  upon  her,  as 
soon  as  the  door  opened,  and  the  whole  air 


THE   LITTLE   BROWN   HOUSE  105 

was  filled  with  "  Little  brown  house."  "  May 
we  —  may  we?  "  "  A  whole  week."  -  "  Two 
days,  Mamsie,  do  say  yes,"  and  Phronsie's 
glad  little  chirp  "  Grandpapa  wants  to  go,  he 
does !  "  ending  every  other  exclamation. 

"  What  a  babel,"  cried  Mrs.  Pepper,  her 
black  eyes  roving  over  the  excited  group. 
"  Now  what  is  it  all  about  ?  Baby,  you  tell 
mother  first." 

Phronsie  was  not  too  big  to  jump  into  the 
comfortable  lap,  and  while  her  fingers  played 
with  the  bonnet  strings,  she  laid  the  whole  de- 
lightful plan  open,  the  others  hanging  over 
them  in  ill-suppressed  excitement. 

"  Well,  you  see,  Mamsie,"  she  began  delib- 
erately. 

"  Oh !  you  are  so  slow,  Phronsie,"  exclaimed 
Polly,  "  do  hurry." 

"  Let  her  take  her  own  time,"  said  Mr.  King, 
"  go  on,  child." 

"  Dear  Grandpapa,"  proceeded  Phronsie, 
turning  her  yellow  head  to  look  at  him,  her 
hand  yet  among  the  bonnet  strings,  "  is  going 
to  take  us  all,  every  sin-gle  one,  to  see  the 
little  brown  house,  and  just  touch  it  once,  and 


106       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

be  sure  it's  there,  and  peek  in  the  doors  and 
windows  and  "  — 

"  No,  no,"  roared  Joel,  "  we're  going  to  stay, 
and  a  week  too,"  hopping  confidently  up  and 
down. 

"  Oh,  Joe !  not  a  week,"  corrected  Polly  with 
glowing  cheeks,  "  perhaps  two  days ;  we  don't 
know  yet." 

"Three  —  three,"  begged  Van,  pushing  his 
head  further  into  the  centre  of  the  group. 
"  Mrs.  Pepper,  do  say  you  want  to  stay  three 
days,"  he  begged. 

"  I  haven't  said  I  wanted  to  go  yet,"  she 
answered  with  a  smile. 

"  Now,  every  one  of  you  keep  quiet,"  com- 
manded Mr.  King,  raising  his  hand,  "  or  you'll 
spoil  the  whole  thing.  Phronsie  shall  tell  her 
story  as  she  likes." 

Thereupon  the  rest,  with  the  shadow  of  his 
warning  that  the  whole  might  be  spoiled,  fell 
back  to  a  vigorous  restraint  once  more. 

"  Perhaps,"  cried  Phronsie  with  shining 
eyes,  and  grasping  the  strings  tighter  she 
leaned  forward  and  pressed  her  red  lips  on  the 


THE   LITTLE   BROWN    HOUSE  107 

mother's  mouth,  "  we'll  go  in  and  stay.  Oh, 
Mamsie!  " 

That  "  Oh,  Mamsie !  "  carried  the  day,  and 
every  one  hanging  on  the  conversation,  knew 
as  soon  as  they  heard  it,  that  a  victory  had 
been  won. 

"  It's  no  use  to  contend  against  the  Fates," 
said  Mrs.  Whitney,  laughing,  "  Mrs.  Pepper, 
you  and  I  know  that." 

"  That's  so,"  cried  old  Mr.  King,  "  and  who- 
ever finds  it  out  early  in  life,  is  the  lucky  one. 
Now,  children,  off  with  you  and  talk  it  over," 
he  cried,  dismissing  them  as  if  they  were  all 
below  their  teens.  "  I  want  to  talk  with  Mrs. 
Pepper  now." 

And  in  two  days  they  were  ready  to  go. 
Mrs.  Chatterton  with  nose  high  in  the  air,  and 
plentiful  expressions  of  disgust  at  such  a  mid- 
winter expedition,  taking  herself  off  to  make 
a  visit  of  corresponding  length  to  some  dis- 
tant relatives. 

"  I  hope  and  pray  this  may  not  get  into  a 
society  paper,"  she  cried  at  the  last,  as  she  was 
seated  in  the  carriage,  "  but  of  course  it  will ; 
outre  things  always  do.     And  we  shall  be  dis- 


108       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

graced  for  life.  One  comfort  remains  to  me, 
I  am  not  in  it." 

Mr.  King,  holding  the  carriage  door,  laughed 
long  and  loudly.  "  No,  Cousin  Eunice,"  he 
said,  "  you  are  not  in  it.  Take  comfort  in  that 
thought.    Good-by,"  and  the  carriage  rolled  off. 

Mother  Pepper  and  the  "  five  little  Peppers  " 
were  going  back  to  the  little  brown  house. 
"  Really  and  truly  we  are,"  as  Phronsie  kept 
saying  over  and  over  again  with  every  revolu- 
tion of  the  car-wheels,  in  a  crooning  fashion, 
and  making  it  impossible  for  Mr.  King  to 
shiver  in  apprehension  at  the  step  he  was  tak- 
ing. Were  not  two  cases  of  blankets  and 
household  comforts  safely  packed  away  in  the 
luggage  car?  "  It's  not  such  a  dreadful  risk," 
said  the  old  gentleman  gruffly  to  himself,  "  it's 
quite  a  common  occurrence  nowadays  to  take 
a  winter  outing  in  the  country.  We're  all 
right,"  and  he  re-enforced  himself  further  by 
frequent  glances  at  Mrs.  Pepper's  black  bon- 
net, two  seats  off. 

It  was  to  be  a  three-days'  frolic,  after  all. 
Not  that  the  whole  party  were  to  stay  in  the 
little  brown  house.     O  dear,  no!    how  could 


THE   LITTLE   BROWN    HOUSE  109 

they  ?  It  was  only  big  enough  for  the  Peppers. 
So  Mrs.  Whitney  and  her  three  boys,  with  Mr. 
King,  and  Jasper,  who  concealed  many  dis- 
appointed feelings,  planned  to  settle  down  in 
the  old  hotel  at  Hingham. 

And  before  anybody  imagined  they  could 
reach  there  so  soon,  there  they  were  at  Bad- 
gertown  Centre,  to  find  Mr.  Tisbett  waiting 
there  on  his  stage-box  as  if  he  had  not  stirred 
from  it  for  five  years. 

"  Sho,  now !  "  he  called  out  from  his  ele- 
vated position  to  Mrs.  Pepper,  as  she  stepped 
down  from  the  car,  "  it's  good  to  see  you, 
though.  Land!  how  many  of  ye  be  there? 
And  is  that  Phronsie  ?     Sho,  now !  " 

"  Did  you  get  my  letter  ?  "  exclaimed  Mother 
Pepper  to  Mrs.  Henderson,  who  was  pressing 
up  to  grasp  her  hand,  and  preparing  to  fall  on 
the  young  folks  separately.  The  parson  stood 
just  back,  biding  his  time  with  a  smile. 

"  Is  it  possible?  "  he  exclaimed;  "  are  these 
tall  boys  and  girls  the  five  little  Peppers?  It 
can't  be,  Mrs.  Pepper,"  as  at  last  he  had  her 
hand.     "  You  are  imposing  on  us." 

And  then  the  village  people  who  had  held 


HO       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

back  until  their  pastor  and  his  wife  paid  their 
respects,  rushed  up  and  claimed  their  rights, 
and  it  was  high  holiday  indeed  for  Badger- 
town 

"  My  goodness !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  King  at  a 
little  remove  and  viewing  the  scene  with  great 
disfavor,  "  this  is  worse  than  the  danger  of 
taking  cold.  Have  they  no  sense,  to  carry  on 
like  this?" 

"  They're  so  glad  to  see  the  Peppers  again, 
father,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney  with  bright  eyes. 
"  You  took  them  away  from  all  these  good 
people,  you  know;  it's  but  fair  to  give  them 
up  for  one  day." 

The  old  gentleman  fumed  and  fretted,  how- 
ever, in  a  subdued  fashion;  at  last  wisely 
turning  his  back,  he  began  to  stalk  down  the 
platform,  under  pretense  of  examining  the 
landscape. 

"  Your  friends  will  stay  with  us,"  Mrs.  Hen- 
derson was  saying  in  a  gently  decisive  man- 
ner, "  the  old  parsonage  is  big  enough,"  she 
added  with  a  laugh. 

"  Oh !  you  are  so  good  and  thoughtful,  dear 
Mrs.  Henderson,"  cried  Mrs.  Pepper  with  de- 


THE   LITTLE   BROWN    HOUSE  m 

light  at  the  thought  of  the  homelike  warmth 
of  the  parsonage  life  awaiting  the  old  gentle- 
man, for  whom  she  was  dreading  the  dreary- 
hotel. 

"  I'm  good  to  ourselves,"  declared  the  par- 
son's wife  gaily. 

Jasper  gave  a  shout  when  the  new  arrange- 
ment was  declared,  as  it  presently  was  by  Percy 
and  Van,  who  flung  themselves  after  him  as 
he  was  seeing  to  the  luggage  with  Ben,  and 
his  face  glowed  with  the  greatest  satisfac- 
tion. 

"  That  is  jolly,"  he  exclaimed,  "  and  that's 
a  fact !  Now,  Ben,  we're  but  a  stone's  throw 
apart.  Rather  different,  isn't  it,  old  fellow, 
from  the  time  when  I  used  to  race  over  from 
Hingham  with  Prince  at  my  heels  ?  " 

Dr.  Fisher's  little  thin,  wiry  figure  was  now 
seen  advancing  upon  the  central  group,  and 
everybody  fell  away  to  let  him  have  his  chance 
to  welcome  the  Peppers. 

"  I  couldn't  get  here  before,"  he  cried,  his 
eyes  glowing  behind  his  spectacles.  "  I've  left 
a  very  sick  patient.  This  is  good,"  he  took 
them  all  in  with  a  loving  glance,  but  his  hand 


H2       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

held  to  Polly.  "  Now  I'm  going  to  drive  you 
down  in  my  gig,"  he  said  to  her  at  last.  "  Will 
you  come?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  cried  Polly  in  delight,  as  her 
mother  smiled  approval,  and  she  ran  off  to  let 
him  help  her  in.  "  It's  only  yesterday  since 
you  took  me  to  drive,  Dr.  Fisher,  and  you 
gave  me  my  stove  —  is  it?  "  And  so  she  ram- 
bled on,  the  little  doctor  quite  charmed  to  hear 
it  all. 

But  Mr.  Tisbett  had  a  truly  dreadful  time 
placing  his  party  in  the  old  stage,  as  the  towns- 
folk, fearful  that  so  good  a  chance  for  seeing 
the  Peppers  would  not  happen  during  the  three 
days'  stay,  insisted  on  crowding  up  close  to  the 
ancient  vehicle,  and  getting  in  everybody's  way, 
thereby  calling  forth  some  exclamations  from 
Mr.  King  that  could  not  be  ragarded  as  exactly 
complimentary.  And  quite  sure  that  he  was  a 
frightful  tyrant,  they  fell  back  with  many  a 
pitying  glance  at  the  Pepper  family  whom  he 
was  endeavoring  to  assist  into  their  places. 

At  last  it  was  all  accomplished  in  some  way, 
and  Mr.  Tisbett  cracked  his  whip,  Mrs.  Pep- 
per and  Phronsie  leaned  out  of  the  window  to 


THE   LITTLE   BROWN    HOUSE 


"3 


bow  right  and  left  into  smiling  faces,  Ben  and 
Davie  did  the  same  over  their  heads. 

"  Good-by,"  sang  out  Joel,  whom  the  stage 
driver  had  taken  up  beside  him.  Here  we  are, 
off  for  the  '  little  brown  house.'     G'lang!  " 


CHAPTER   VII. 

OLD    TIMES    AGAIN 

"  T"\ON'T  let  me  look  — oh!  don't  let  me 
■^^  look,"  cried  Polly  in  the  old  gig,  and 
twisting  around,  she  hid  her  face  against  the 
faded  green  cloth  side.  "  I  ought  not  to  see 
the  little  brown  house  before  Mamsie  and  the 
others  do." 

"  I'll  turn  down  the  lane,"  said  the  little 
doctor,  "  so  " ;  and  suiting  the  action  to  the 
word,  Polly  could  feel  that  they  were  winding 
down  the  narrow  little  road  over  toward 
Grandma  Bascom's.  She  could  almost  smell 
the  violets  and  anemones  under  the  carpet  of 
snow,  and  could  scarcely  restrain  herself  from 
jumping  out  for  a  riotous  run. 

"  Don't  go  too  far  away,"  she  cried  in  sud- 
den alarm.     "  We  must  be  there  by  the  time 
the  stage  does."     And  she  applied  her  eye  to 
114 


OLD   TIMES    AGAIN 


115 


the  little  circular  glass  in  the  back  of  the  gig. 
"  Will  it  never  come  —  oh !  here  it  is,  here  it 
is,  dear  Dr.  Fisher."  And  with  a  quick 
flourish  around  of  the  old  horse,  they  were 
soon  before  the  little  brown  house,  and  helping 
out  the  inmates  of  the  stage,  who  with  more 
speed  than  grace  were  hurrying  over  the  steps. 

Joel  was  down  before  Mr.  Tisbett  had  fairly 
drawn  up  in  front  of  the  gate.  "  Hold  on," 
roared  the  stage  driver,  "  I  don't  want  you  to 
break  your  neck  with  me." 

"  It's  really  here!  "  cried  Phronsie  with  wide 
eyes,  standing  quite  still  on  a  hummock  of 
frozen  snow,  with  her  eyes  riveted  on  the 
house.  "  It  really  is !  "  Polly  had  raced  up 
the  winding  path,  and  over  the  flat  stone  to 
drop  a  kiss  on  the  little  old  door. 

"  Oh !  oh !  Mamsie,  do  come !  "  she  cried 
to  Mrs.  Pepper  on  the  path. 

"  Hum !  I  think,  Jasper,  you  and  I  will 
let  them  alone  for  a  few  moments,"  said  Mr. 
King,  who  was  still  within  the  stage.  "  Here, 
my  good  fellow,"  to  Mr.  Tisbett,  "  you  say  it's 
all  comfortable  in  there  for  them?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  sir,"  said  Mr.   Tisbett  heartily. 


Il6       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  Good  land !  Mis'  Henderson  had  her  boys 
come  down  airly  this  mornin'  and  make  the 
fires;  and  there's  a  mighty  sight  of  things  to 
eat."  The  stage-driver  put  one  foot  on  the 
hind  wheel  to  facilitate  conversation,  and 
smacked  his  lips. 

"  All  very  well.  Now  you  may  drive  us 
down  the  road  a  bit,"  said  Mr.  King,  with- 
drawing his  head  to  the  depths  of  the  lumber- 
ing old  vehicle  again. 

"Ain't  goin'  in?"  cried  Mr.  Tisbett,  open- 
ing his  round  eyes  at  him  in  astonishment. 

"  Get  up  and  drive  us  on,  I  say,"  com- 
manded the  old  gentleman,  "  and  cease  your 
talking,"  which  had  the  effect  to  send  honest 
Mr.  Tisbett  clambering  expeditiously  up  to  the 
box,  where  he  presently  revenged  himself  by 
driving  furiously  over  all  the  hard  frozen  ruts 
he  could  quickly  select,  determined  not  to  stop 
till  he  was  obliged  to. 

"  Goodness !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  King  within, 
holding  to  the  strap  at  the  side,  as  well  as  to 
the  leather  band  of  the  swinging  seat  in  front. 
"  What  an  abominable  road !  " 

"  The  road  is  well  enough,"  said  Jasper,  who 


OLD   TIMES   AGAIN  117 

couldn't  bear  to  have  a  word  uttered  against 
Badgertown,  "  it's  the  fellow's  driving  that 
makes  it  rough.  Here,  can't  you  be  a  little 
more  careful  to  keep  the  road  ?  "  he  called, 
thrusting  his  head  out  of  the  window.  But 
he  only  narrowly  escaped  losing  his  brown 
traveling  cap  for  his  pains,  as  the  stage  gave 
a  worse  lurch  than  before,  to  introduce  a  series 
of  creakings  and  joltings  hitherto  unparalleled. 

"  I  cannot  endure  this  much  longer,"  said 
old  Mr.  King,  growing  white  around  the 
mouth,  and  wishing  he  had  strength  for  one- 
half  the  exclamations  he  felt  inwardly  capable 
of.  Outside,  honest  Mr.  Tisbett  was  taking 
solid  comfort  in  the  reflection  that  he  was 
teaching  a  rich  city  man  that  he  could  not 
approach  with  anything  less  than  respect,  a 
citizen  of  Badgertown. 

"Ain't  I  as  good  as  he?"  cried  Mr.  Tis- 
bett to  himself,  with  an  extra  cut  to  the  off 
horse,  as  he  spied  a  sharp  ragged  edge  of  ice 
along  the  cart  track  in  front  of  him.  "  Now 
that's  good;  that'll  shake  him,"  he  added 
cheerfully.  "  Land !  but  I  hain't  been  spoke 
to  so  since  I  was  sassed  at  school  by  Jim  Bently, 


Il8       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

and  then  I  licked  him  enough  to  pay  twice 
over.     G'lang  there  —  easy !  " 

The  first  thing  he  knew,  one  of  the  glass 
windows  was  shivered  to  fragments;  the  bits 
flying  off  along  the  quiet  road,  to  fall  a  gleam- 
ing shower  upon  the  snow. 

"  Whoa !  "  called  Mr.  Tisbett,  to  his  smok- 
ing horses,  and  leaning  over,  he  cried,  "  What's 
the  matter  in  there?  " 

"  The  matter  is,"  said  Jasper,  putting  his 
face  out,  "  that  as  I  could  not  possibly  make 
you  hear  my  calls,  I  chose  to  break  the  window. 
Have  the  goodness  to  let  my  father  and  me  at 
once  out  of  this  vehicle." 

Mr.  Tisbett  got  down  slowly  over  the  wheel. 
"  Beg  your  pardon,"  he  said  awkwardly,  pull- 
ing open  the  door,  "  ain't  you  goin'  to  ride 
back?" 

"  Heavens !  "  cried  Mr.  King.  He  was  glad 
to  find  he  could  ejaculate  so  much  as  he 
tremblingly  worked  his  way  out  to  terra  firma. 
"  Nothing  on  earth  would  tempt  me  to  step  foot 
inside  there  again." 

"  Here  is  the  money  for  your  window,"  said 
Jasper,  putting  a  bill  into  the  fur  mitten,  cover- 


OLD   TIMES   AGAIN 


119 


ing  Mr.  Tisbett's  brawny  right  hand.  "  Kindly 
bring  our  traps  to  the  little  brown  house ;  here, 
father,  take  my  arm,"  and  he  ran  after  the  tall 
figure,  picking  its  way  along  the  frozen  road. 

"  Hey  —  what's  this  ?  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Tis- 
bett,  looking  into  the  center  of  his  fur  mitten, 
"  five  dollars !  Gee  —  thumps !  I  ain't  a-goin' 
to  take  it,  after  shaking  that  old  party  almost 
to  pieces." 

He  stood  staring  at  the  bill  in  stupid  per- 
plexity till  the  uneasy  movements  of  his  horses 
warned  him  that  his  position  was  not  exactly 
the  proper  one  for  a  stage-driver  who  was  on 
his  box  from  morning  till  night,  so  he  clam- 
bered over  the  wheel,  full  of  vexed  thoughts, 
and  carefully  tucked  the  bill  under  the  old 
cushion  before  he  took  his  seat. 

"  I'll  give  it  back  to  him,  that's  cert'in,"  he 
said,  picking  up  the  reins,  "  and  p'raps  they've 
had  enough  walkin'  so  they'll  let  me  pick  'em 
up,"  which  raised  him  out  of  his  depression  not 
a  little. 

But  the  stern  faces  of  the  old  gentleman,  and 
the  tall  boy,  smote  him  with  a  chill,  long  before 
he  passed  them,  and  he  drove  by  silently,  well 


120       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

knowing  it  would  not  do  to  broach  the  subject 
by  so  much  as  a  look. 

Not  daring  to  go  near  the  little  brown  house 
without  the  occupants  of  the  stage  who  had 
driven  down  the  road  with  him,  Mr.  Tisbett 
drew  up  miserably  to  a  convenient  angle,  and 
waited  till  the  two  came  up.  Then  without 
trusting  himself  to  think,  he  sprang  to  the 
ground,  and  with  shame  written  all  over  his 
honest  face,  called  out,  "  See  here,  you  young 
chap,  I  want  to  speak  to  you,  when  you've  got 
him  in  the  house." 

"  I  will  see  you  then,"  said  Jasper,  as  the 
two  hurried  on  to  meet  the  Peppers  rushing 
out  from  the  little  brown  house,  and  down  the 
small  path. 

"  I've  made  an  awful  mess  for  'em  all,  and 
they  just  come  home,"  groaned  Mr.  Tisbett; 
drawing  his  fur  mitten  across  his  eyes,  and 
leading  his  horses,  he  followed  at  a  funeral 
pace,  careful  not  to  stop  at  the  gate  until  the 
door  was  closed,  when  he  began  furiously  to 
unload. 

A  footstep  crunching  the  snow,  broke  into 
the  noise  he  was  making.     "Hoh!    well,"  he 


OLD   TIMES   AGAIN  121 

exclaimed,  pausing  with  a  trunk  half -off  the 
rack,  "  it's  a  mighty  awkward  thing  for  a  man 
to  say  he's  sorry,  but  you  bet  I  be,  as  cert' in  as 
my  name's  John  Tisbett."  His  face  became  so 
very  red  that  Jasper  hastened  to  put  his  young 
shoulder  under  the  trunk,  a  movement  that  only 
added  to  the  stage-driver's  distress. 

"  It  don't  pay  to  get  mad,  now  I  tell  you," 
declared  Mr.  Tisbett,  dumping  the  trunk  down 
on  the  snow,  and  then  drawing  himself  to  his 
full  height ;  u  fust  place,  your  pa  sassed  me, 
and  "  — 

"  He  didn't  intend  to,"  cried  Jasper  eagerly, 
"  and  I'll  apologize  for  him,  if  that's  what  you 
want."  He  laid  his  strong  right  hand  in  the 
old  fur  mitten. 

"Good  land!  Tain't  what  I  want,"  cried 
honest  John,  but  he  gripped  the  hand  never- 
theless, a  fact  that  the  boy  never  forgot ;  "  I 
say  I'm  sorry  I  shook  up  your  pa." 

"  His  age  ought  to  have  protected  him,"  said 
the  boy  simply. 

"  Sho!  that's  a  fact,"  cried  Mr.  Tisbett,  sink- 
ing in  deeper  distress,  "  but  how  is  anybody  to 
remember  he's  so  old,  when  he  steps  so  almighty 


122       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

high,  as  if  he  owned  all  Badgertown  — 
say!" 

"  I  think  we  shall  be  good  friends,  Mr.  Tis- 
bett,"  said  Jasper  cordially,  as  he  turned  to 
wave  his  hand  toward  the  little  brown  house; 
simultaneously  the  door  opened,  and  all  the 
young  Peppers  and  Whitneys  rushed  out  to 
help  in  the  delightful  unloading. 

It  was  well  along  in  the  afternoon.  The  dusk 
of  the  December  twilight  shut  down  speedily, 
around  the  little  brown  house  and  its  happy 
occupants,  but  no  one  wanted  the  candles 
lighted  till  the  last  moment. 

"  Oh,  Polly !  "  cried  Joel,  who  was  prancing 
as  of  old  over  the  kitchen  floor,  "  don't  you 
remember  that  night  when  you  said  you  wished 
you  had  two  hundred  candles,  and  you'd  light 
them  all  at  once  ?  " 

"  I  said  a  good  many  silly  things  in  those 
days,"  said  Polly  meditatively,  and  smoothing 
Phronsie's  yellow  hair  that  was  lying  across 
her  lap. 

"  Some  silly  ones,  and  a  good  many  wise 
ones,"  observed  Mother  Pepper,  over  in  her 
little  old  rocker  in  the  west  window,  where  she 


OLD   TIMES   AGAIN  123 

used  to  set  sewing  up  coats  and  sacks  for  the 
village  storekeeper.  "  You  kept  us  together 
many  a  time,  Polly,  when  nothing  else 
could." 

"  Oh!  no,  I  didn't,  Mamsie,"  protested  Polly, 
guilty  of  contradicting,  "  you  and  Bessie  did. 
I  just  washed  dishes,  and  swept  up,  and  "  — 

"  Baked  and  brewed,  and  fussed  and 
stewed,"  finished  Joel,  afraid  of  being  too  sen- 
timental. 

"  Polly  was  just  lovely  in  those  days,"  said 
Davie,  coming  across  the  room  to  lay  a  cool 
cheek  against  her  rosy  one.  "  I  liked  the  rainy 
days  best  when  we  all  could  stay  in  the  house, 
and  hear  her  sing  and  tell  stories  while  she  was 
working." 

"  She  was  cross  sometimes,"  cried  Joel,  de- 
termined not  to  let  reminiscences  become  too 
comfortable ;  "  she  used  to  scold  me  just  aw- 
fully, I  know." 

Polly  broke  into  a  merry  laugh;  yet  she 
exclaimed  "  You  poor  Josey,  I  suppose  I  was 
dreadful!" 

"  You  didn't  catch  one  half  as  bad  scoldings 
as  belonged  to  you,"  put  in  Ben,  thrusting  an- 


124 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


other  stick  in  the  stove.     "  You  were  a  bad  lot, 
Joe,  in  those  days." 

"  And  not  over  good  in  these,"  cried  old  Mr. 
King,  ensconced  in  the  snuggest  corner  in  the 
seat  of  honor,  the  high-backed  rocker,  that  com- 
forted Phronsie  after  her  little  toe  was  hurt. 
"  There,  now,  my  boy,  how's  that  ?  "  with  a 
grim  smile. 

"  Do  you  remember  when  the  old  stove  used 
to  plague  you,   Polly?"    cried  Joel,  suddenly 
changing  the  conversation.     "And  how  Ben's, 
putty  was  everlastingly  tumbling  out  ?    Hoh  — 
hoh!" 

"And  you  two  boys  were  always  stuffing  up 
the  holes  for  me,  when  Ben  was  away,"  cried 
Polly,  with  affectionate  glances  at  Davie  and 
Joel. 

"  I  didn't  so  much,"  said  Joel  honestly, 
"  Dave  was  always  giving  boot-tops  and  such 
things." 

"  Boot-tops !  "  repeated  Mr.  King  in  aston- 
ishment. "  Bless  me,  I  didn't  know  that  they 
had  anything  in  common  with  stoves." 

"Oh!  that  was  before  we  knew  you,"  said 
Joel,  ready  in  advance  of  any  one  else  with  the 


OLD   TIMES   AGAIN  125 

explanation ;  "  it  wasn't  this  stove.  Dr  Fisher 
gave  Polly  this  one  after  she  had  the  measles; 
but  it  was  a  lumbering  old  affair  that  was  full 
of  holes  that  had  to  be  stopped  up  with  any- 
thing we  could  get.  And  leather  was  the  best ; 
and  Davie  saved  all  the  old  boot-heels  and  tops 
he  could  find,  you  know." 

"  Oh !  "  said  the  old  gentleman,  wondering 
if  other  revelations  would  come  to  light  about 
the  early  days  of  the  Peppers. 

"  Isn't  Dr.  Fisher  lovely?  "  cried  Polly,  with 
sparkling  eyes,  "  just  the  same  as  ever.  Mam- 
sie,  I  ought  to  do  something  for  him." 

"  He  is  as  good  as  gold,"  assented  Mrs.  Pep- 
per heartily.  "  You've  done  something,  I'm 
sure.  Polly.  The  medical  books  you  bought 
out  of  your  pocket  money,  and  sent  him, 
pleased  him  more  than  anything  you  could 
give  him." 

"  But  I  want  to  do  something  now,"  said 
Polly.  "  Oh !  just  think  how  good  he  was  to 
us." 

"  May  we  never  forget  it !  "  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Pepper,  wiping  her  eyes. 

"  But  he's  very  unwise,"  said  Mr,  King,  a 


126       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

trifle  testily,  "  not  to  take  up  with  my  offer  to 
establish  him  in  the  town.  A  man  like  him 
could  easily  hold  a  good  practice,  because  the 
fellow's  got  ability." 

"  Oh !  Dr.  Fisher  wouldn't  leave  Badger- 
town,"  cried  all  the  Peppers  in  a  bunch.  "  And 
what  would  the  poor  people  here  do  without 
him?"   finished  Polly. 

"  Well,  well,  never  mind,  he  won't  come  to 
town,  and  that's  enough,"  said  the  old  gentle- 
man quickly.  "  Aside  from  that,  he's  a  sensible 
chap,  and  one  quite  to  my  liking." 

"  Oh,  Polly !  "  cried  Phronsie  suddenly,  and 
lifting  her  head,  she  fastened  her  brown  eyes  on 
the  face  above  her,  "  wasn't  Mamsie's  birthday 
cake  good  ?  " 

"  The  flowers  were  pretty,  but  the  cake  was 
heavy,  don't  you  remember?  "  said  Polly,  who 
hadn't  recovered  from  that  grief  even  yet. 

"  I  thought  it  was  just  beautiful,"  cried  Mrs. 
Pepper  hastily.  "  No  one  could  have  baked  it 
better  in  the  old  stove  you  had.  I'm  sure  we 
ate  it  all  up,  every  crumb." 

"  We  kept  it  in  the  old  cupboard,"  cried  Joel, 
rushing  over  to  the  corner  to  swing  the  door 


OLD   TIMES   AGAIN  127 

open.  "  And  we  never  once  peeked,  Mamsie, 
so  afraid  you'd  suspect." 

"  You  kept  staring  at  the  cupboard  door  all 
the  evening,  Joe,  you  know  you  did,"  cried  Ben ; 
"  you  were  just  within  a  hair's  breadth  of  let- 
ting the  whole  thing  out  ever  so  many  times. 
Polly  and  I  had  to  drag  you  away.  We  were 
glad  enough  when  you  went  to  bed,  I  can  tell 
you." 

"  You  were  always  sending  me  off  to  bed  in 
those  days,"  said  Joel,  taking  his  head  out  of 
the  cupboard  to  throw  vindictive  glances  over 
to  the  group  around  the  stove. 

"  I  wish  we  could  do  so  now,"  said  Ben. 

"  And  those  two,"  Joel  went  on,  pointing  to 
Polly  and  Ben,  "  used  to  go  whispering  around 
a  lot  of  old  secrets,  that  they  wouldn't  tell  us. 
Oh!  it  was  perfectly  awful,  wasn't  it,  Dave?  " 
bestowing  a  small  pinch  on  that  individual's 
shoulder. 

"  I  liked  the  secrets  best  not  to  know  them  till 
Polly  and  Ben  got  ready  to  tell  us,"  said  David 
slowly;  "  then  they  were  just  magnificent." 

Phronsie  had  laid  her  head  back  in  the  wait- 
ing lap,  and  was  crooning  softly  to  herself. 


128       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  I  want  to  go  and  see  dear  good  Mr.  Beebe," 
she  said  presently,  "  and  nice  Mrs.  Beebe,  can 
I,  Mamsie?  "  looking  over  at  her. 

"  To  be  sure,"  cried  Mrs.  Pepper,  "  you  shall 
indeed,  child." 

"Beebe  —  Beebe,  and  who  is  he,  pray?" 
demanded  Mr.  King. 

"  Oh !  he  keeps  the  shoe  shop  over  in  the 
Center,"  explained  three  or  four  voices,  "  and 
Phronsie's  new  shoes  were  bought  there,  you 
know." 

"  And  he  gave  me  pink  and  white  candy- 
sticks,  "  said  Phronsie,  and  he  was  very  nice ; 
and  I  like  him  very  much." 

"  And  Mrs.  Beebe  gave  us  doughnuts  all 
around,"  communicated  Joel;  "I  don't  know 
but  that  I  liked  those  best.  There  was  more 
to  them." 

"  So  you  always  bought  your  new  shoes  of 
the  Beebes  ?  "  asked  the  old  gentleman,  a  ques- 
tion that  brought  all  the  five  Peppers  around 
his  chair  at  once. 

"  We  didn't  ever  have  new  shoes  that  I  can 
remember,"  said  Joel  quickly,  "  except  Phron- 


OLD   TIMES   AGAIN  129 

sie's,  and  once  Ben  had  a  new  pair.  He  had  to, 
because  he  was  the  oldest,  you  know." 

"Oh!"  said  Mr.  King. 

"  You  see,"  said  Phronsie,  shaking  her  head 
gravely,  while  she  laid  one  hand  on  his  knee, 
"  we  were  very  poor,  Grandpapa  dear.  Don't 
you  understand  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  child,"  said  old  Mr.  King;  "  there, 
get  up  here,"  and  he  took  her  within  his  arms. 

"  No,  no,  you're  not  going  to  talk  yet,"  seeing 
Percy  and  Van  beginning  violent  efforts  to  join 
in  the  conversation.  "  Let  the  Peppers  have  a 
chance  to  talk  over  old  times  first.  See  how 
good  Jasper  is  to  wait." 

"  I  would  much  prefer  to  hear  the  Peppers 
talk  forever,"  said  Jasper,  smiling  down  on  the 
two  Whitneys,  "  than  to  have  the  gates  opened 
for  a  general  flood.  Go  on,  do,  Polly  and  Ben, 
and  the  rest  of  you." 

"  Oh!  there  is  so  much,"  said  Polly  despair- 
ingly, clasping  her  hands,  "  we  shouldn't  get 
through  if  we  talked  ten  years,  should  we,  Ben? 
Mamsie,"  and  she  rushed  over  to  her,  "  can  we 
have  a  baking  time  to-morrow,  just  as  we 
used  to  in  the  old  days  ?    Oh !  do  say  yes." 


13° 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


"  Yes,  do  say  yes,"  echoed  Jasper,  also  rush- 
ing to  the  side  of  the  little  rocking-chair. 
"  You  will,  won't  you,  Mrs.  Pepper?  " 

"  Hoh !  hoh !  "  cried  the  two  Whitneys  de- 
risively, "  I  thought  you  could  '  hear  the  Pep- 
pers talk  forever.'    That's  great,  Jasper." 

"  Well,  when  it  comes  to  hearing  a  proposal 
for  a  baking  frolic,  my  principles  are  thrown  to 
the  wind,"  said  Jasper  recklessly.  "  Why,  boys, 
that's  the  first  thing  I  remember  about  the  little 
brown  house.    Do  say  yes,  Mrs.  Pepper !  " 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

SOME  BADGERTOWN   CALLS. 

"  \  X  7 ELL,  I  declare!  "  exclaimed  Grandma 
*  *  Bascom,  opening  the  door  and  look- 
ing in,  "  I  never !  " 

"  Come  in,"  cried  Mr.  King  sociably.  His 
night  over  at  the  parsonage  had  been  a  most 
fortunate  experiment.  "  I  haven't  slept  so 
finely  in  ten  years,"  he  confided  to  Mrs.  Whit- 
ney as  they  met  at  breakfast  at  the  minister's 
table.  So  now,  his  face  wreathed  with  smiles, 
he  repeated  his  invitation.  "  Come  in,  do,  Mrs. 
Bascom;  we're  glad  to  see  you." 

"  I  never !  "  said  "  Grandma  Bascom  "  once 
more,  for  want  of  something  better  to  say,  and 
coming  close  to  the  centre  of  operations. 

Jasper,  attired  in  one  of  Mrs.  Pepper's  long 
aprons,  which  was  fastened  in  the  style  of  the 
old  days,  by  the  strings  around  his  neck,  was 
131 


132 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


busily  engaged  in  rolling  out  under  Polly's  di- 
rection, a  thin  paste,  expected  presently  under 
the  genial  warmth  of  the  waiting  stove,  to 
evolve  into  most  toothsome  cakes.  Ben  was 
similarly  attired,  and  similarly  employed ;  while 
Joel  and  David  were  in  a  sticky  state,  preparing 
their  dough  after  their  own  receipt,  over  at  the 
corner  table,  their  movements  closely  followed 
by  the  three  Whitneys. 

Phronsie,  before  a  board  laid  ocross  two 
chairs,  was  enlightening  old  Mr.  King  who  sat 
by  her,  into  the  mysteries  of  baking  day. 

"  Do  bake  a  gingerbread  boy,"  he  begged. 
"  I  never  had  anything  half  so  good  as  the  one 
you  sent  over  to  Hingham." 

"  You  were  my  poor  sick  man  then,"  ob- 
served Phronsie,  with  slow,  even  pats  on  her 
bit  of  dough.  "  Please,  the  rolling-pin  now, 
Grandpapa  dear." 

"To  be  sure,"  cried  the  old  gentleman; 
"  here,  Jappy,  my  boy,  be  so  good  as  to  hand  us 
over  that  article." 

"  And  you  see,"  continued  Phronsie,  receiv- 
ing the  rolling-pin,  and  making  the  deftest  of 
passes  with  it  over  the  soft  mass,  "  I  couldn't 


SOME  BADGERTOWN   CALLS  133 

send  you  anything  better,  though  I  wanted  to, 
Grandpapa  dear." 

"Better?"  cried  Mr.  King.  "I  should 
think  not;  you  couldn't  have  made  me  any- 
thing that  pleased  me  more,  had  you  tried  a 
thousand  times." 

Phronsie  never  tired  of  hearing  this,  and  now 
humming  a  soft  note  of  thanks,  proceeded  with 
her  task,  declaring  that  she  would  make  the 
best  gingerbread  boy  that  could  possibly  be 
achieved. 

"  Grandma  Bascom  "  was  still  reiterating  "  I 
never,"  and  going  slowly  from  one  group  to 
another  to  inspect  operations.  When  she  came 
to  Phronsie,  she  stopped  short,  raising  her 
hands  in  surprise.  "  Seems  as  ef  'twas  only 
yesterday  when  the  Peppers  went  away,  though 
land  knows  I've  missed  'em  all  most  dretfully, 
'an  there  sets  that  blessed  child  baking,  as  big 
as  any  of  'em.    I  never !  " 

"  Have  you  any  more  raisins  to  give  us, 
Grandma?"  shouted  Joel  across  the  kitchen. 
"  They  were  terribly  hard,"  he  added  in  his 
natural  voice;   "  almost  broke  our  teeth." 

"  Hey?  "    called  "  Grandma  "  back  again. 


134 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


"  Raisins,  Grandma,  or  peppermints,"  cried 
Joel. 

"  Oh,  Joe,  for  shame !  "  called  Ben. 

"  I'm  going  to  have  the  fun  of  going  after 
them,"  declared  Joel,  throwing  down  his  dough- 
pat,  and  wiping  his  sticky  fingers  on  his  apron ; 
"  just  like  old  times  —  so  there!  " 

"  I'll  go  over  and  get  'em,"  said  Grandma ; 
"  you  come  along  with  me,"  looking  admiringly 
up  at  the  tall  boy ;  so  the  two,  Joel  laughing  and 
hopping  by  her  side  as  if  he  were  five  years 
younger,  disappeared,  well-pleased  with  each 
other. 

"  Now  I  shall  take  his  dough."  declared  Dick, 
rushing  around  the  end  of  the  table,  to  Joel's 
deserted  place. 

"  No  such  thing,"  declared  Van,  flying  out  of 
his  chair.  "  Leave  your  hands  off",  youngster ! 
that's  to  be  mine." 

Polly  looked  up  from  the  little  cookies  she 
was  cutting  with  the  top  of  a  tin  baking  powder 
box  and  their  eyes  met. 

"  I  didn't  promise  not  to  have  it  out  with 
Dicky,"  said  Van  stoutly.  "  He's  a  perfect 
plague,    and    always    under    foot.       I    never 


SOME   BADGERTOWN    CALLS  135 

thought  of  such  a  thing  as  not  making  him 
stand  around,  Polly." 

But  the  brown  eyes  did  not  return  to  their 
task,  as  Polly  mechanically  stamped  another 
cookey. 

"  I  only  promised  not  to  have  a  bout  with 
Percy,"  Van  proceeded  uncomfortably.  And  in 
the  same  breath,  "  Go  ahead,  if  you  want  it, 
Dickey,  I  don't  care." 

"  I  do  want  it,"  declared  Dick,  clambering 
into  Van's  chair,  while  Van  returned  to  his 
own,  "  arid  I'm  going  to  have  it  too.  I  guess 
you  think  you'd  better  give  it  up  now,  sir ;  I'm 
getting  so  big." 

"  Softly  there,  Dicky,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney, 
over  in  the  window-seat  with  her  fancy  work ; 
"  if  Van  gives  up,  you  should  thank  him ;  I 
think  he  is  very  good  to  do  it."  And  the  bigger 
boy's  heart  warmed  with  the  radiant  smile  she 
sent  him. 

Dick  gave  several  vicious  thrusts  to  his 
dough,  and  looked  up  at  last  to  say  very  much 
against  his  will,  "  Thank  you ;  "  and  adding 
brightly,  "  but  you  know  I'm  getting  big,  sir, 
and  you'd  better  give  up." 


1 36       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  All  right,"  said  Van,  with  that  smile  in  his 
heart  feeling  equal  to  anything. 

"  Now,"  cried  Jasper,  with  a  flourish  of  his 
baking  apron,  "  mine  are  ready.  Here  goes !  " 
and  he  opened  the  oven  door  and  pushed  in  a 
pan  of  biscuit. 

"  Jappy's  always  ahead  in  everything,"  grum- 
bled Percy,  laboring  away  at  his  dough.  "  How 
in  the  world  do  you  make  the  thing  roll  out 
straight  ?    Mine  humps  up  in  the  middle." 

"  Put  some  more  flour  on  the  board,"  said 
Polly,  running  over  to  him.  "  There,  now  see, 
Percy,  if  that  doesn't  roll  smooth." 

"  It  does  with  you,"  said  Percy,  taking  the 
rolling-pin  again,  to  send  it  violently  over  the 
long-suffering  dough,  "  and  —  I  declare,  it's 
going  to  do  with  me,"  he  cried,  in  delight  at  the 
large  flat  cake  staring  up  at  him  from  the 
board.  "  Now,  says  I,  I'll  beat  you,  Jappy !  " 
And  presently  the  whole  kitchen  resounded  with 
a  merry  din,  as  the  several  cakes  and  biscuits 
were  declared  almost  ready  for  their  respective 
pans. 

"  But,  I  can  tell  you,  this  gingerbread  boy 
is  going  in  next,"   declared   Mr.    King   from 


SOME   BADGERTOWN   CALLS  137 

Phronsie's  baking-board.  "  It's  almost  done, 
isn't  it,  child?" 

"Not  quite,  Grandpapa,"  said  Phronsie; 
"  this  eye  won't  stay  in  just  like  the  other.  It 
doesn't  look  the  same  way,  don't  you  see  ?  " 
pointing  to  the  currant  that  certainly  showed 
no  inclination  to  do  its  d>ttyv  as  any  well-bred 
eye  should.  "  Wait  jusfe*a  moment,  please;  I'll 
pull  it  out  and  stick  ithn  again.' 

"  Take  another,"  advised  the  old  gentleman, 
fumbling  over  the  little  heap  of  currants  on 
the  saucer.  "  There,  here's  a  good  round  one, 
and  very  expressive,  too,  Phronsie." 

"  That's  lovely,"  hummed  Phronsie,  accept- 
ing the  new  eye  with  very  sticky  fingers. 
"  Now,  he's  all  ready,"  as  she  set  it  in  its 
place,  and  took  the  boy  up  tenderly.  "  Give 
me  a  pan,  do,  Polly." 

"  Did  you  cut  that  out  ?  "  cried  Dick,  turn- 
ing around  in  his  chair,  and  regarding  her  en- 
viously, "  all  alone  by  yourself  ?  Didn't  Grand- 
papa help  you  just  one  teenty  bit  to  make  the 
legs  and  the  hands  ?  " 

"  No;  she  made  it  all  herself,"  said  the  old 
gentleman,    with    justifiable    pride.     "  There, 


138       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

Phronsie,  here's  your  pan,"  as  Polly  set  it  down 
before  her  with  a  "  You  precious  dear,  that's 
perfectly  elegant !  " 

Phronsie  placed  the  boy  within  the  pan,  and 
gave  it  many  a  loving  pat.  "  Grandpapa  sat 
here,  and  looked  at  it,  and  smiled,"  she  said, 
turning  her  eyes  gravely  on  Dick,  "  and  that 
helped  ever  so  much.  I  couldn't  ever  have 
made  it  so  nice  alone.  Good-by;  now  bake 
like  a  good  boy.  Let  me  put  it  in  the  open  all 
by  myself,  do,  Polly,"  she  begged. 

So  Phronsie,  the  old  gentleman  escorting 
her  in  mortal  dread  that  she  would  be  burned, 
safely  tucked  her  long  pan  into  the  warmest 
corner,  shut  the  door,  and  gravely  consulted 
the  clock.  "  If  I  look  at  it  in  twenty-one  min- 
utes, I  think  it  will  be  done,"  she  said,  "  quite 
brown." 

In  twenty-one  minutes  the  whole  kitchen 
was  so  far  removed  from  being  the  scene  of 
a  baking  exploit  as  was  possible.  Everything 
was  cleared  away,  and  set  up  primly  in  its 
place,  leaving  only  a  row  of  fine  little  biscuits 
and  cookies,  with  Phronsie's  gingerbread  boy 
in  the  midst,  to  tell  the  tale  of  what  had  been 


"This  eye  won't  stay  in  just  like  the  other." — Page  lh 


SOME   BADGERTOWN   CALLS 


139 


going  on.  Outside  there  was  a  great  commo- 
tion. Deacon  Brown's  old  wagon  stood  at  the 
gate,  for  the  Peppers  and  their  friends;  and, 
oh !  joy,  not  the  old  horse  between  the  shafts, 
but  a  newer  and  much  livelier  beast.  And  on 
the  straw  laid  in  the  bottom  of  the  wagon,  the 
seats  being  removed,  disported  all  the  merry- 
group,  Mr.  King  alone  having  the  dignity  of 
a  chair. 

Deacon  Brown,  delighted  with  his  scheme 
of  bringing  the  wagon  over  as  a  surprise  for 
the  Peppers  to  take  a  drive  in,  was  on  the 
side  of  the  narrow  foot-path,  chuckling  and 
rubbing  his  hands  together.  "  You  won't  have 
to  drive  so  easy  as  you  used  to,  Ben,"  he  called 
out,  "  this  fellow's  chirk ;  give  him  his  head. 
Sho!  what  you  goin'  that  way  for?"  as  Ben 
turned  off  down  the  lane. 

"  To  Grandma  Bascom's,"  shouted  two  or 
three  voices. 

"  Joel's  over  there,"  sang  out  Polly. 

"We  couldn't* go  without  him,  you  know," 
chirped  Phronsie,  poking  a  distressed  little  face 
up  from  the  straw  heap. 

"  'Twould  serve  him  just  right  if  we  did," 


140 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


said  Van.  "  He's  a  great  chap  to  stay  over 
there  like  this." 

"  No  —  no,"  cried  Dick  in  terror,  "  don't  go 
without  Joel;  I'd  rather  have  him  than  any 
of  you,"  he  added,  not  over  politely. 

Phronsie  began  to  cry  piteously  at  the  mere 
thought  of  Joel's  being  left  behind. 

"  He  wanted  to  see  Mr.  Beebe,"  she  man- 
aged to  say,  "  and  dear  Mrs.  Beebe.  Oh !  don't 
go  without  him."  So  Mr.  King  made  them 
hand  her  up  to  him,  and  at  the  risk  of  their 
both  rolling  out,  he  held  her  in  his  lap  until 
the  wagon,  stopping  at  the  door  of  "  Grandma 
Bascom's  "  cottage,  brought  Joel  bounding  out 
with  a  whoop. 

"  Jolly !  where'd  you  get  that,  and  where  are 
you  going?  "  all  in  one  breath,  as  he  swung 
himself  up  behind. 

"  Deacon  Brown  brought  it  over  just  now," 
cried  Polly. 

"  As  a  surprise,"  furnished  Percy.  "  Isn't 
he  a  fine  old  chap?  Here's  for  the  very  jolliest 
go!" 

"  We're  going  to  see  dear  Mr.  Beebe,  and 
dear  Mrs.  Beebe,"  announced  Phronsie,  smil- 


SOME   BADGERTOWN   CALLS 


141 


ing  through  her  tears,  and  leaning  out  of  the 
old  gentleman's  lap  to  nod  at  him. 

"  Hurrah !  "  screamed  Joel.  "  Good-by, 
Grandma,"  to  the  old  lady,  whose  cap-frills 
were  framed  in  the  small  window.  "  I've  had  a 
fine  time  in  there,"  he  condescended  to  say,  but 
nothing  further  as  to  the  details  could  they 
extract  from  him;  and  so  at  last  they  gave  it 
up,  and  lent  their  attention  to  the  various  things 
to  be  seen  as  the  wagon  spun  along.  And  so 
over  and  through  the  town,  and  to  the  very 
door  of  the  little  shoe-shop,  and  there,  to  be 
sure,  was  Mr.  Beebe  the  same  as  ever,  to  wel- 
come them;  and  Joel  found  to  his  immense 
satisfaction  that  the  stone  pot  was  as  full  of 
sugary  doughnuts  as  in  the  old  days;  and 
Phronsie  had  her  pink  and  white  sticks,  and 
Mrs.  Beebe  "  Oh-ed  "  and  '  'Ah-ed  "  over  them 
all,  and  couldn't  bear  to  let  them  go  when  at 
last  it  was  time  to  say  "  good-by."  And  at  last 
they  all  climbed  into  the  old  wagon,  and  were 
off  again  on  their  round  of  visits. 

It  was  not  till  the  gray  dusk  of  the  winter 
afternoon  settled  down  unmistakably,  so  that 
no  one  could  beg  to  stay  out  longer,  that  they 


142 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


turned  Deacon  Brown's  horse  toward  the  "  lit- 
tle brown  house." 

"  It's  going  to  snow  to-morrow,  I  think," 
observed  Jasper,  squinting  up  at  the  leaden 
sky,  "isn't  it,  father?" 

"  Whoop !  "  exclaimed  Joel,  "  then  we  will 
have  sport,  I  tell  you !  " 

"  It  certainly  looks  like  it,"  said  old  Mr. 
King,  wrapping  his  fur-lined  coat  closer. 
"  Phronsie,  are  you  sure  you  are  warm 
enough  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Grandpapa  dear,"  she  answered,  curl- 
ing up  deeper  in  the  straw  at  his  feet. 

"  Do  you  remember  how  you  would  carry 
the  red-topped  shoes  home  with  you,  Phron- 
sie?" cried  Polly,  and  then  away  they  rushed 
again  into  "  Oh,  don't  you  remember  this,  and 
you  haven't  forgotten  that  ?  "  Jasper  as  wildly 
reminiscent  now  as  the  others,  for  hadn't  he 
almost  as  good  as  lived  at  the  little  brown 
house,  pray  tell  ?  So  the  Whitneys  looked  curi- 
ously on,  without  a  chance  to  be  heard  in  all 
the  merry  chatter;  and  then  they  drew  up  at 
the  gate  of  the  parsonage,  where  they  were  all 
to  have  supper. 


SOME   BADGERTOWN   CALLS  143 

When  Phronsie  woke  up  in  the  big  bed  by 
the  side  of  her  mother,  the  next  morning,  Polly 
was  standing  over  her,  and  looking  down  into 
her  face. 

"  Oh,  Phronsie !  "  she  exclaimed  in  great 
glee,  "  the  ground  is  all  covered  with 
snow !  " 

"  O-oh !  "  screamed  Phronsie,  her  brown 
eyes  flying  wide  open,  "  do  give  me  my  shoes 
and  stockings,  Polly,  do!  I'll  be  dressed  in 
just  one  —  minute,"  and  thereupon  ensued  a 
merry  scramble  as  she  tumbled  out  of  the  big 
bed,  and  commenced  operations,  Polly  run- 
ning out  to  help  Mamsie  get  the  breakfast. 

"  Mush  seems  good  now  we  don't  have  to 
eat  it,"  cried  Joel,  as  they  all  at  last  sat  around 
the  board. 

"  'Twas  good  then,"  said  Mrs.  Pepper,  her 
black  eyes  roving  over  the  faces  before  her. 

"  How  funny,"  cried  Percy  Whitney,  who 
had  run  over  from  the  parsonage  to  breakfast, 
"  this  yellow  stuff  is."  And  he  took  up  a 
spoonful  of  it  gingerly. 

"  You  don't  like  it,  Percy ;  don't  try  to  eat 
it.    I'll  make  you  a  slice  of  toast,"  cried  Polly, 


144 


FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


springing  out  of  her  chair,  "  in  just  one  mo- 
ment." 

"  No,  you  mustn't,"  cried  Dick,  bounding  in 
in  time  to  catch  the  last  words.  "  Mamma  said 
no  one  was  to  have  anything  different,  if  we 
came  to  breakfast,  from  what  the  Peppers  are 
going  to  eat.  I  like  the  yellow  stuff;  give 
me  some,  do,"  and  he  slid  into  a  chair  and 
passed  his  plate  to  Mrs.  Pepper. 

"  So  you  shall,  Dickey,"  she  said  hastily. 
"  And  you  will  never  taste  sweeter  food  than 
this,"  giving  him  a  generous  spoonful. 

"  Grandpapa  is  eating  ham  and  fried  eggs 
over  at  the  minister's  house,"  contributed  Dick, 
after  satsifying  his  hunger  a  bit. 

"  Ham  and  fried  eggs !  "  exclaimed  Mother 
Pepper,  aghast.  "  Why,  he  never  touches 
them.     You  must  be  mistaken,  my  boy." 

"  No,  I'm  not,"  said  Dick,  obstinately.  "  The 
minister's  wife  said  it  was,  and  she  asked  me 
if  I  wouldn't  have  some,  and  I  said  I  was 
going  over  to  the  Peppers  to  breakfast;  I'd 
rather  have  some  of  theirs.  And  Grandpapa 
said  it  was  good  —  the  ham  and   fried  eggs 


SOME   BADGERTOWN   CALLS  145 

was  —  and  he  took  it  twice ;  he  did,  Mrs. 
Pepper." 

"  Took  it  twice?  "  she  repeated,  faintly,  with 
troubled  visions  of  the  future.  "  Well,  well, 
the  mischief  is  done  now,  so  there  is  no  use 
in  talking  about  it;  but  I'm  worried,  all  the 
same." 

"  Hurry  up,  Percy,"  called  Joel  across  the 
table,  "  and  don't  dawdle  so.  We're  going  to 
make  a  double  ripper,  four  yards  long,  to  go 
down  that  hill  there."  He  laid  down  his  spoon 
to  point  out  the  window  at  a  distant  snow-cov- 
ered slope. 

Percy  shivered,  but  recalling  himself  in  time, 
said  "  Splendid,"  and  addressed  himself  with 
difficulty  to  his  mush. 

"  Well,  you'll  never  be  through  at  that 
speed,"  declared  Joel.  "  See,  I've  eaten  three 
saucersful,"  and  he  handed  his  plate  up.  "  And 
now  for  the  fourth,  Mamsie." 

"  Oh !  baked  potatoes,"  cried  Ben,  rolling 
one  around  in  his  hand  before  he  took  off  its 
crackling  skin.  "  Weren't  they  good,  though, 
with  a  little  salt.  I  tell  you,  they  helped  us  to 
chop  wood  in  the  old  times !  " 


146       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  I  really  think  I  shall  have  to  try  one,"  said 
Percy,  who  deeply  to  his  regret  was  obliged 
to  confess  that  Indian  meal  mush  had  few 
charms  for  his  palate. 

"  There's  real  milk  in  my  mug  now,"  cried 
Phronsie,  with  long,  deep  draughts.  "  Polly, 
did  I  ever  have  anything  but  make-believe  in 
the  little  brown  house;   ever,  Polly?  " 

Polly  was  saved  from  answering  by  a  stamp- 
ing of  snowy  boots  on  the  flat  doorstone. 

"  Hurrah,  there !  "  cried  Van,  rushing  in, 
followed  by  Jasper.  "  Hoh,  you  slow  people 
in  the  little  brown  house,  come  on  for  the 
double  ripper ! " 


CHAPTER    IX. 

A   SUDDEN    BLOW. 

'AMSIE,"  cried  Polly,  suddenly,  and 
resting  her  hands  on  her  knees  as  she 
sat  on  the  floor  before  the  stove,"  do  you  sup- 
pose there  is  any  one  poor  enough  in  Badger- 
town  to  need  the  little  brown  house  when  we 
lock  it  up  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  Not  a  soul,"  replied  Mrs.  Pepper,  quickly ; 
"  no  more  than  there  was  when  we  first  locked 
it  up  five  years  ago,  Polly.  I've  been  all  over 
that  with  the  parson  last  evening ;  and  he  says 
there  isn't  a  new  family  in  the  place,  and  all 
the  old  ones  have  their  homes,  the  same  as  ever. 
So  we  can  turn  the  key  and  leave  it  with  a  clear 
conscience." 

Polly  drew  a  long  breath  of  delight,  and 
gazed  long  at  the  face  of  the  stove  that  seemed 
147 


148       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

to  crackle  out  an  answering  note  of  joy  as  the 
wood  snapped  merrily ;  then  she  slowly  looked 
around  the  kitchen. 

"  It's  so  perfectly  lovely,  Mamsie,"  she  broke 
out  at  length,  "  to  see  the  dear  old  things,  and 
to  know  that  they  are  waiting  here  for  us  to 
come  back  whenever  we  want  to.  And  to  think 
it  isn't  wicked  not  to  have  them  used,  because 
everybody  has  all  they  need;  oh!  it's  so  deli- 
cious to  think  they  can  be  left  to  them- 
selves." 

She  folded  her  hands  now  across  her  knees, 
and  drew  another  long  breath  of  content. 

Phronsie  stole  out  of  the  bedroom,  and  came 
slowly  up  to  her  mother's  side,  pausing  a  bit  on 
the  way  to  look  into  Polly's  absorbed  face. 

"  I  don't  think,  Mamsie,"  she  said  quietly, 
"  that  people  ought  to  be  so  very  good  who've 
never  had  a  little  brown  house;  never  in  all 
their  lives." 

"  Oh,  yes,  they  had,  child,"  said  Mrs.  Pepper 
briskly ;  "  places  don't  make  any  difference.  It's 
people's  duty  to  be  good  wherever  they  are." 

But  Phronsie's  face  expressed  great  incred- 
ulity. 


A   SUDDEN    BLOW  149 

"  I'm  always  going  to  live  here  when  I  am 
a  big,  grown-up  woman,"  she  declared,  slowly 
gazing  around  the  kitchen,  "  and  I  shall  never, 
never  go  out  of  Badgertown." 

"  Oh,  Phronise !  "  exclaimed  Polly,  turning 
around  in  dismay,  "  why,  you  couldn't  do  that. 
Just  think,  child,  whatever  in  the  world  would 
Grandpapa  do,  or  any  of  us,  pray  tell  ?  " 

"  Grandpapa  would  come  here,"  declared 
Phronsie  decidedly;  and  shaking  her  yellow 
head  to  enforce  her  statement.  "  Of  course 
Grandpapa  would  come  here,  Polly.  We 
couldn't  live  without  him." 

"  That's  it,"  said  Polly,  with  a  corresponding 
shake  of  her  brown  head,  "  of  course  we 
couldn't  live  without  Grandpapa;  and  just  as 
'  of  course '  he  couldn't  leave  his  own  dear 
home.  He  never  would  be  happy,  Phronsie,  to 
do  that." 

Phronsie  took  a  step  or  two  into  the  sunshine 
lying  on  the  middle  of  the  old  kitchen  floor. 
"  Then  I'd  rather  not  come,  Polly,"  she  said. 
But  she  sighed  and  Polly  was  just  about  say- 
ing, "  We'll  run  down  now  and  then  perhaps, 
Phronsie,   as  we  have  done  now,"  when  the 


I50       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

door  was  thrown  open  suddenly,  and  Joel  burst 
in,  his  face  as  white  as  a  sheet,  and  working 
fearfully. 

"  Oh,  Polly!  you  must  tell  Mrs.  Whitney  — 
I  can't." 

Polly  sprang  to  her  feet ;  Mrs.  Pepper,  who 
had  just  stepped  into  the  pantry,  was  saying, 
"  I  think,  Polly,  I'll  make  some  apple  dump- 
lings, the  boys  like  them  so  much." 

"  What  is  it,  Joe  ?  "  cried  Polly  hoarsely, 
and  standing  quite  still.  Phronsie,  with  wide 
eyes,  went  up  and  took  the  boy's  cold  hand,  and 
gazed  into  his  face  as  he  leaned  against  the 
door. 

"Dick!"  groaned  Joel;  "oh!  oh!  I  can't 
bear  it,"  and  covering  his  face  with  one  hand, 
he  would  have  pulled  the  other  from  Phronsie' s 
warm  little  palm,  but  she  held  it  fast. 

"  Tell  me  at  once,  Joe,"  commanded  Polly. 
"  Hush !  —  mother  "  —  but  Mrs.  Pepper  was 
already  out  of  the  pantry. 

"  Joel,"  said  Mrs.  Pepper,  "  whatever  it  is, 
tell  us  immediately." 

The  look  in  her  black  eyes  forced  him  to 
gasp  in  one  breath,  "  Dick  fell  off  the  double 


A   SUDDEN   BLOW 


151 


ripper,  and  both  of  his  legs  are  broken  —  may 
be  not,"  he  added  in  a  loud  scream. 

Phronsie  still  held  the  boy's  hand.  He  was 
conscious  of  it,  and  that  she  uttered  no  word, 
and  then  he  knew  no  more. 

"  Leave  him  to  me,  Polly,"  said  Mrs.  Pepper, 
through  drawn  lips,  "  and  then  do  you  run  as 
you  have  never  run  before,  to  the  parsonage. 
Oh!  if  they  should  bring  him  there  before  the 
mother  hears." 

Phronsie  dropped  the  hand  she  held,  and 
running  on  unsteady  little  feet  into  the  bed- 
room, came  back  with  Polly's  hood  and  coat. 

"  Let  me  go,"  cried  Polly  wildly,  rushing 
away  from  the  detaining  hand  to  the  door, 
"  I  don't  want  those  things  on.  Let  me  go, 
Phronsie ! " 

"  You'll  be  cold,"  said  Phronsie.  With  all 
her  care,  her  little  white  lips  were  quivering  as 
she  held  out  the  things.  "  Please,  Polly,"  she 
said  piteously. 

"  The  child  is  right ;  put  them  on,"  com- 
manded Mrs.  Pepper,  for  one  instant  taking 
her  thought  from  her  boy;  and  Polly  obeyed, 
and  was  gone. 


152       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

In  the  parsonage  "  best  room "  sat  Mrs. 
Whitney.  Her  rocking-chair  was  none  of  the 
easiest,  being  a  hair-cloth  affair,  its  cushion 
very  much  elevated  in  the  world  just  where  it 
should  have  been  depressed,  so  that  one  was  in 
constant  danger  of  slipping  off  its  surface; 
moreover,  the  arms  and  back  of  the  chair 
were  covered  with  indescribable  arrangements 
made  and  presented  by  loving  parishioners  and 
demanding  unceasing  attention  from  the  occu- 
pant. But  the  chair  was  drawn  up  in  the  sun- 
shine pouring  into  the  window,  and  Mrs.  Whit- 
ney's thoughts  were  sunny,  too ;  for  she  smiled 
now  and  then  as  she  drew  her  needle  busily 
in  and  out  through  the  bright  wools. 

"  How  restful  it  all  is  here,  and  so  quaint 
and  simple."  She  glanced  up  now  to  the  high- 
backed  mantel  with  its  wealth  of  daguerreo- 
types, and  surprising  collection  of  dried  leaves 
in  tall  china  vases ;  and  over  the  walls,  adorned 
with  pine-cone  framed  pictures,  to  the  center 
table  loaded  with  "  Annuals,"  and  one  or  two 
volumes  of  English  poetry,  and  then  her  gaze 
took  in  the  little  paths  the  winter  sunshine  was 
making  for  itself  along  the  red  and  green  in- 


A   SUDDEN    BLOW  153 

grain  carpet.  "  I  am  so  glad  father  thought  to 
bring  us  all.  Dear  father,  it  is  making  a  new 
man  of  him,  this  winter  frolic.     Why  "  — 

She  was  looking  out  of  the  window  now,  and 
her  hands  fell  to  her  lap  as  Polly  Pepper  came 
running  breathlessly  down  the  village  street, 
her  hood  untied,  and  the  coat  grasped  with  one 
hand  and  held  together  across  her  breast.  But 
it  was  the  face  that  terrified  Mrs.  Whitney, 
and  hurrying  out  of  her  chair,  she  ran  out  to 
the  veranda  as  the  girl  rushed  through  the 
gateway. 

"  Polly,  child,"  cried  Mrs.  Whitney,  seizing 
her  with  loving  arms  and  drawing  her  on  the 
steps  —  "  oh !   what  is  it,  dear  ?  " 

Polly's  lips  moved,  but  no  words  came. 

"  Oh !  "  at  last,  "  don't  hate  us  for  —  bring- 
ing you  to  the  —  little  —  brown  house.  Why 
did  we  come !  "  And  convulsively  she  threw 
her  young  arms  around  the  kind  neck.  "  Oh, 
Aunty !  Dicky  is  hurt  —  but  we  don't  know 
how  much  —  his  legs,  Joel  says,  but  it  may  not 
be  as  bad  as  we  think;  dear  Aunty,  it  may 
not." 

Mrs.  Whitney  trembled  so  that  she  could 


154 


FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


scarcely  stand.  Around  them  streamed  the 
same  winter  sunshine  that  had  been  so  bright  a 
moment  since.  How  long  ago  it  seemed.  And 
out  of  gathering  clouds  in  her  heart  she  was 
saying,  "  Polly  dear,  God  is  good.  We  will 
trust  him."  She  did  not  know  her  own  voice, 
nor  realize  when  Polly  led  her  mercifully 
within,  as  a  farmer's  wagon  came  slowly  down 
the  street,  to  stop  at  the  parsonage  gate;  nor 
even  when  Dick  was  brought  in,  white  and 
still,  could  she  think  of  him  as  her  boy.  It  was 
some  other  little  figure,  and  she  must  go  and 
help  them  care  for  him.  Her  boy  would  come 
bounding  in  presently,  happy  and  ruddy,  with  a 
kiss  for  mamma,  and  a  world  of  happy  non- 
sense*  just  as  usual.  It  was  only  when  Mrs. 
Henderson  came  in,  and  took  her  hand  to  lead 
her  into  the  next  room,  that  it  all  came  to  her. 

"  Oh,  Dick !  "  and  she  sprang  to  the  side  of 
the  sofa  where  he  lay.  "  My  child  —  my 
child!" 

And  then  came  Dr.  Fisher,  and  the  truth 
was  known.  One  of  Dick's  legs  was  broken 
below  the  knee;  the  other  badly  bruised. 
Only  Jasper  and  the  mother  remained  in  the 


A   SUDDEN   BLOW 


155 


room  while  the  little  doctor  set  the  limb;  and 
after  what  seemed  an  age  to  the  watchers, 
the  boy  came  out. 

"  He  bore  it  like  a  Trojan,"  declared  Jasper, 
wiping  his  forehead.  "  I  tell  you,  Dick's  our 
hero,  after  this." 

"  Now  I  should  like  to  know  how  all  this 
happened,"  demanded  Mr.  King.  The  old  gen- 
tleman had  remained  at  the  parsonage  to  get  a 
good  morning  nap  while  the  snow  frolic  was  in 
progress.  And  he  had  been  awakened  by  the 
unusual  bustle  below  stairs  in  time  to  hear  the 
welcome  news  that  Dicky  was  all  right  since 
Dr.  Fisher  was  taking  care  of  him.  He  now 
presented  himself  in  his  dressing-gown,  with 
his  sleeping  cap  awry,  over  a  face  in  which 
anger,  distress  and  impatience  strove  for  the 
mastery.  "  Speak  up,  my  boy,"  to  Jasper, 
"  and  tell  us  what  you  know  about  it." 

"  Well,  the  first  thing  I  knew  of  any  danger 
ahead,"  said  Jasper,  "  was  hearing  Dick  sing 
out  '  Hold  up ! '  I  supposed  the  double  ripper 
all  right;   didn't  you,  Ben?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Ben  sturdily,  "  and  it  was  all 
right;   just  exactly  as  we  used  to  make  them, 


156       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

we  boys;  there  wasn't  a  weak  spot  anywhere 
in  her,  sir." 

"Who  was  steering?"  demanded  old  Mr. 
King  almost  fiercely. 

"  I  was,"  said  Van,  beginning  boldly  enough, 
to  let  his  voice  die  out  in  a  tremulous  effort. 

"Humph  —  humph,"  responded  Mr.  King 
grimly.     "  A  bad  business,"  shaking  his  head. 

"  Van  would  "  —  began  Percy,  but  his  eye 
meeting  Polly's  he  added,  "  We'd  none  of  us 
done  any  better,  I  don't  believe,  sir,  than  Van." 

Van  was  now  choking  so  badly  that  the 
greatest  kindness  seemed  to  be  not  to  look  at 
him.  Accordingly  the  little  company  turned 
their  eyes  away,  and  regarded  each  other  in- 
stead. 

"Well,  so  Dick  rolled  off?"  proceeded  the 
old  gentleman. 

"  Oh !  no,  he  didn't,"  said  all  three  boys 
together ;  "  he  stuck  fast  to  the  double  ripper ; 
we  ran  into  a  tree,  and  Dick  was  pitched  off 
head-first." 

"  But  honestly  and  truly,  father,"  said 
Jasper,  "  I  do  not  think  that  it  was  the  fault  of 
the  steerer." 


A   SUDDEN   BLOW 


157 


"  Indeed  it  was  not,"  declared  Ben  stoutly ; 
"  there  was  an  ugly  little  gully  that  we  hadn't 
seen  under  the  snow.  We'd  been  down  four  or 
five  times  all  right,  but  only  missed  it  by  a 
hair-breadth ;  this  time  the  '  ripper  '  struck  into 
it ;  I  suppose  Dick  felt  it  bump,  as  it  was  on  his 
side,  and  sang  out,  and  as  quick  as  lightning  we 
were  against  that  tree.  It  was  as  much  my 
fault  as  any  one's,  and  more,  because  I  ought 
to  have  known  that  old  hill  thoroughly." 

"  I  share  the  blame,  Ben,"  broke  in  Jasper, 
"  old  fellow,  if  you  pitch  into  yourself,  you'll 
have  to  knock  me  over  too." 

"  Come  here,  Vanny,"  said  old  Mr.  King, 
holding  out  his  hand.  "  Why,  you  needn't  be 
afraid,  my  boy,"  aghast  at  the  tears  that  no 
power  on  earth  could  keep  back.  "  Now  all 
leave  the  room,  please." 

"Where's  Polly?  "asked  Ben,  on  the  other 
side  of  the  door. 

"  She's  run  home,"  said  David,  "  I  guess. 
She  isn't  here." 

"  And  that's  where  I  must  be  too,"  cried  Ben, 
bounding  off. 

When  Van  was  next  seen  he  was  with  old 


158       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

Mr.  King,  and  wearing  all  signs  of  having  re- 
ceived his  full  share  of  comfort.  Phronsie, 
just  tying  on  her  little  hood,  to  go  down  to  the 
parsonage  to  ask  after  Dicky,  looked  out  of  the 
window  to  exclaim  in  pleased  surprise,  "  Why, 
here  comes  dear  Grandpapa,"  and  then  .  she 
rushed  out  to  meet  him. 

"  Here's  my  little  girl,"  cried  the  old  gentle- 
man, opening  his  arms,  when  she  immediately 
ran  into  them.    "  Now  we're  all  right." 

"  Is  Dicky  all  right?  "  asked  Phronsie  anx- 
iously, as  she  fell  into  step  by  his  side. 

"  Yes,  indeed ;  as  well  as  a  youngster  can 
be,  who's  broken  his  leg." 

Phronsie  shivered.  "  But  then,  that's  noth- 
ing," Mr.  King  hastened  to  add ;  "  I  broke 
my  own  when  I  was  a  small  shaver  no  bigger 
than  Dick,  and  I  was  none  the  worse  for  it. 
Boys  always  have  some  such  trifling  mishaps, 
Phronsie." 

"  Ben  never  broke  his  leg,  nor  Joel,  nor 
Davie,"  said  Phronsie.  "  Must  they  yet, 
Grandpapa  ?  " 

"O  dear,  no,"  declared  Mr.  King  hastily; 
"  that  isn't  necessary.     I  only  meant  they  must 


A   SUDDEN   BLOW 


159 


have  something.  Now  you  see,  Ben  had  the 
measles,  you  know." 

"  Yes,  he  did,"  said  Phronsie,  quite  relieved 
to  think  that  this  trial  could  take  the  place  of 
the  usual  leg-breaking  episode  in  a  boy's  career. 
"  And  so  did  Joel,  and  Davie  —  all  of  them, 
Grandpapa  dear." 

"  Exactly ;  well,  and  then  Ben  had  to  work 
hard,  and  Joel  and  Davie  too,  for  that  matter. 
So,  you  see,  it  wasn't  as  essential  that  they 
should  break  their  legs,  child." 

"  But  Jasper  and  Percy  and  Van  don't  have 
to  work  hard ;  oh !  I  don't  want  them  to  break 
their  legs,"  said  Phronsie,  in  a  worried  tone. 
"  You  don't  think  they  will,  Grandpapa  dear, 
do  you  ?    Please  say  they  won't." 

"  I  don't  think  there  is  the  least  danger  of  it," 
said  Mr.  King,  "  especially  as  I  shall  put  an 
end  to  this  '  double-ripper '  business,  though 
not  because  this  upset  was  anybody's  fault; 
remember  that,  Phronsie."  Van's  head  which 
had  dropped  a  bit  at  the  last  words,  came  up 
proudly.  "  Van  here,  has  acted  nobly  "  —  he 
put  his  hand  on  the  boy's  shoulder  — "  and 
would  have  saved  Dicky  if  he  could.    It  was  a 


160       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

pure  accident,  that  nobody  could  help  except  by 
keeping  off  from  the  abominable  thing.  Well, 
here  we  are  at  the  little  brown  house;  and 
there's  your  mother,  Phronsie,  waiting  for  us 
in  the  doorway." 

"  Halloo !  "  cried  Van,  rushing  over  the  flat 
stone,  and  past  Mrs.  Pepper,  "  where's  Joel  ? 
Oh  —  here,  you  old  chap !  " 

"Well,  Mrs.  Pepper,"  said  the  old  gentle- 
man, coming  up  to  the  step,  Phronsie  hanging 
to  his  hand,  "  this  looks  like  starting  for  town 
to-morrow,  doesn't  it?  " 

"  Oh !  what  shall  we  do,  sir  ?  "  cried  Mrs. 
Pepper,  in  distress.  "  To  think  you  have  come 
down  here  in  the  goodness  of  your  heart,  to  be 
met  with  such  an  accident  as  this.  What  shall 
we  do?"   she  repeated. 

"  Goodness  of  my  heart,"  repeated  Mr. 
King,  nevertheless  well  pleased  at  the  tribute. 
"  I've  had  as  much  pleasure  out  of  it  all  as  you 
or  the  young  people.  I  wan't  you  to  realize 
that." 

"  So  does  anyone  who  does  a  kind  act," 
replied  Mrs.  Pepper,  wiping  her  eyes ;    "  well, 


A   SUDDEN   BLOW  161 

sir,  now  how  shall  we  manage  about  going 
back?" 

"  That  remains  to  be  seen,"  said  Mr.  King 
slowly,  and  he  took  a  long  look  at  the  winter 
sky,  and  the  distant  landscape  before  he  ven- 
tured more.  "  It  very  much  looks  as  if  we  all 
should  remain  for  a  few  days,  to  see  how  Dick 
is  to  get  on,  all  but  the  four  boys;  they  must 
pack  off  to  school  to-morrow,  and  then  prob- 
ably Mrs.  Whitney  will  stay  over  with  the  boy 
till  he  can  be  moved.  Dr.  Fisher  will  do  the 
right  thing  by  him.  Oh!  everything  is  all 
right,  Mrs.  Pepper." 

Mrs.  Pepper  sighed  and  led  the  way  into  the 
house.  She  knew  in  spite  of  the  re-assuring 
words,  that  the  extreme  limit  of  the  "  outing  " 
ought  to  be  passed  on  the  morrow. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  PARTY  SEPARATES. 

"/~*OOD-BY  to  the  little  brown  house!" 
^-*  Joel  and  David,  Percy  and  Van  sang 
out  in  doleful  chorus,  from  the  old  stage  coach ; 
two  of  the  boys  on  the  seat  shared  by  John 
Tisbett,  the  other  two  within  as  companions  to 
Mrs.  Pepper  and  Jasper,  who  were  going  home 
to  start  the  quartette  off  to  school. 

"  Ben  and  I  will  take  good  care  of  every- 
thing, Mamsie,"  said  Polly  for  the  fiftieth  time, 
and  climbing  up  on  the  steps  to  tuck  the  travel- 
ing shawl  closer.  Thereupon  Phronsie  climbed 
up  too,  to  do  the  same  thing.  "  Don't  you 
worry;  we'll  take  care  of  things,"  she  echoed. 
"  I  sha'n't  worry,"  said  Mrs.  Pepper  in  a 
bright  assured  way.  "  Mother  knows  you'll 
both  do  just  right.  And  Phronsie'll  be  a  good 
girl  too,"  with  a  long  look  into  the  bright  eyes 
162 


THE  PARTY   SEPARATES  163 

peering  over  the  window  casing  of  the  old 
coach. 

"  I'll  try,"  said  Phronsie.  "  Good-by,  Mam- 
sie,"  and  she  tried  to  stand  on  tiptoe  to  reach 
her  mouth  up. 

"  Goodness  me !  "  cried  Polly,  "  you  nearly 
tumbled  off  the  steps.  Throw  her  a  kiss, 
Phronsie;  Mamsie'll  catch  it." 

"If  that  child  wants  to  kiss  her  ma  agen,  she 
shall  do  it,"  declared  Mr.  Tisbett;  and  throw- 
ing down  the  reins,  he  sprang  to  the  ground, 
seized  Phronsie,  and  swung  her  lightly  over  the 
window  edge.  "  There  you  be  —  went  through 
just  like  a  bird."  And  there  she  was,  sure 
enough,  in  Mrs.  Pepper's  lap. 

"  I  should  like  to  go  with  you,"  Phronsie 
was  whispering  under  Mrs.  Pepper's  bonnet 
strings,  "  Mamsie,  I  should." 

"  Oh,  no,  Phronsie !  "  Mrs.  Pepper  made 
haste  to  whisper  back.  "  You  must  stay  with 
Polly.  Why,  what  would  she  ever  do  without 
you  ?  Be  mother's  good  girl,  Phronsie ;  you're 
all  coming  home,  except  Auntie  and  Dick, 
in  a  few  days." 

Phronsie  cast  one  look  at  Polly.     "  Good- 


1 64       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

by,"  she  said  slowly.  "  Take  me  out  now," 
holding  her  arms  towards  Mr.  Tisbett. 

"  Here  you  be !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Tisbett  mer- 
rily, reversing  the  process,  and  setting  her  care- 
fully on  the  ground.  "  Now,  says  I ;  up  I 
goes,"  his  foot  on  the  wheel  to  spring  to  the 
box. 

"  Stay !  "  a  peremptory  hand  was  laid  on  his 
shaggy  coat  sleeve,  and  he  turned  to  face  old 
Mr.  King. 

"  When  I  meet  a  man  who  can  do  such  a  kind 
thing,  it  is  worth  my  while  to  say  that  I  trust  no 
words  of  mine  gave  offense.  Bless  you,  man!  " 
added  the  old  gentleman,  abruptly  changing 
the  tone  of  his  address  as  well  as  its  form,  "  it's 
my  way;    that's  all." 

John  Tisbett  had  no  words  to  offer,  but  re- 
mained, his  foot  on  the  wheel,  stupidly  staring 
up  at  the  handsome  old  face. 

"  We  shall  be  late  for  the  train,"  called 
Jasper  within  the  coach,  "  if  you  don't  start." 

"  Get  up,  do !  "  cried  Joel,  who  had  seized 
the  reins,  "  or  I'll  drive  off  without  you,  Mr. 
Tisbett,"  which  had  the  effect  to  carry  honest 
John  briskly  up  to  his  place.     When  there,  he 


THE   PARTY    SEPARATES  165 

took  off  his  fur  cap  without  a  word,  and  bowed 
to  Mr.  King,  cracked  his  whip  and  they  were 
off,  leaving  the  four  on  the  little  foot-path 
gazing  after  them,  till  the  coach  was  only  a 
speck  in  the  distance. 

"  Mamma  dear,"  said  Dick,  one  afternoon 
three  weeks  later  (the  little  brown  house  had 
been  closed  a  fortnight,  and  all  the  rest  of 
the  party  back  in  town),  "  when  are  we  going 
home?" 

"  Next  week,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney  brightly ; 
"  the  doctor  thinks  if  all  goes  well,  you  can  be 
moved  from  here." 

Dick  leaned  back  in  the  big  chintz-covered 
chair.  "  Mamma,"  he  said,  "  your  cheeks 
aren't  so  pink,  and  not  quite  so  round,  but  I 
think  you  are  a  great  deal  nicer  mamma  than 
you  were." 

"  Do  you,  Dick  ? "  she  said,  laughing. 
"  Well,  we  have  had  a  happy  time  together, 
haven't  we?  The  fortnight  hasn't  been  so  long 
for  you  as  I  feared  when  the  others  all  went 
away." 

"  It  hasn't  been  long  at  all,"  said  Dick 
promptly,  and  burrowing  deeper  into  the  chair- 


166       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

back ;  "  it's  just  flown,  mamma.  I  like  Polly 
and  Phronsie;  but  I'd  rather  have  you  than 
any  girl  I  know;   I  had  really,  mamma." 

"  I'm  very  glad  to  hear  it,  Dick,"  said  Mrs. 
Whitney,  with  another  laugh. 

"And  when  I  grow  up,  I'm  just  going  to  live 
with  you  forever  and  ever.  Do  you  suppose 
papa  will  be  always  going  to  Europe  then  ?  " 

"  I  trust  not,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney  fervently. 
"  Dicky,  would  you  like  to  have  a  secret  ?  "  she 
asked  suddenly. 

The  boy's  eyes  sparkled.  "  Wouldn't  I 
mamma  ?  "  he  cried,  springing  forward  in  the 
chair;  "ugh!" 

"  Take  care,  darling,"  warned  his  mother. 
"  You  must  remember  the  poor  leg." 

Dick  made  a  grimace,  but  otherwise  took 
the  pain  pluckily.  "  Tell  me,  do,  mamma,"  he 
begged,  "  the  secret." 

"  Yes,  I  thought  it  would  be  a  pleasant  thing 
for  you  to  have  it  to  think  of,  darling,  while 
you  are  getting  well.  Dicky,  papa  is  coming 
home  soon." 

"  Right  away  ?  "  shouted  Dick  so  lustily  that 
Mrs.  Henderson  popped  her  head  in  the  door. 


THE   PARTY    SEPARATES  167 

"  Oh!  beg  your  pardon,"  she  said;  "  I  thought 
you  wanted  something." 

"Isn't  it  lovely,"  cried  Mrs.  Whitney,  "to 
have  a  boy  who  is  beginning  to  find  his 
lungs?" 

"  Indeed  it  is,"  cried  the  parson's  wife, 
laughing ;  "  I  always  picked  up  heart  when  my 
children  were  able  to  scream.  It's  good  to  hear 
you,  Dicky,"  as  she  closed  the  door. 

"Is  he  —  is  he  —  is  he?"  cried  Dick  in  a 
spasm  of  excitement,  "  coming  right  straight 
a ways  mamma  ?  " 

"  Next  week,"  said  mamma,  with  happy 
eyes,  "  he  sails  in  the  Servia.  Next  week 
Dicky,  my  boy,  we  will  see  papa.  And  here  is 
the  best  part  of  the  secret.  Listen ;  it  has  all 
been  arranged  that  Mr.  Duyckink  shall  live  in 
Liverpool,  so  that  papa  will  not  have  to  go 
across  any  more,  but  he  can  stay  at  home  with 
us.     O,  Dicky !  " 

That  "  O,  Dicky !  "  told  volumes  to  the  boy's 
heart. 

"  Mamma,"  he  said  at  last,  "  isn't  it  good 
that  God  didn't  give  boys  and  girls  to  Mr. 
Duyckink?     Because  you  see  if  he  had,  why, 


168       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

then  Mr.  Duyckink  wouldn't  like  to  live  over 
there." 

"  Mr.  Duyckink  might  not  have  felt  as 
your  father  does,  Dicky  dear,  about  having 
his  children  educated  at  home;  and  Mrs. 
Duyckink  wants  to  go  to  England ;  she  hasn't 
any  father,  as  I  have,  Dickey  dear,  who  clings 
to  the  old  home." 

"  Only  I  wish  God  had  made  Mr.  Duyckink 
and  Mrs.  Duyckink  a  little  sooner,"  said  Dick 
reflectively.  "  I  mean,  made  them  want  to  go 
to  England  sooner,  don't  you,  mamma?  " 

"  I  suppose  we  ought  not  to  wish  that,"  said 
his  mother  with  a  smile,  "  for  perhaps  we 
needed  to  be  taught  to  be  patient.  Only  now, 
Dicky,  just  think,  we  can  actually  have  papa 
live  at  home  with  us !  " 

"  Your  cheeks  are  pink  now,"  observed  Dick ; 
"  just  the  very  pink  they  used  to  be,  mamma." 

Mrs.  Whitney  ran  to  the  old-fashioned  look- 
ing-glass hanging  in  its  pine-stained  frame, 
between  the  low  windows,  and  peered  in. 

"  Do  I  look  just  as  I  did  when  papa  went 
away  six  months  ago,  Dicky  ? "  she  asked, 
anxiously. 


THE   PARTY    SEPARATES  169 

"  Yes,"  said  Dick,  "  just  like  that,  only  a 
great  deal  nicer,"  he  added  enthusiastically. 

His  mother  laughed  and  pulled  at  a  bright 
wave  on  her  forehead,  dodging  a  bit  to  avoid 
a  long  crack  running  across  the  looking-glass 
front. 

"  Here's  Dr.  Fisher !  "  shouted  Dick  sud- 
denly. "  Now,  you  old  fellow,  you,"  and 
shaking  his  small  fist  at  his  lame  leg,  "  you've 
got  to  get  well,  I  tell  you.  I  won't  wait  much 
longer,  sir !  "  And  as  the  doctor  came  in,  "  I've 
a  secret." 

"  Well,  then,  you  would  better  keep  it,"  said 
Dr.  Fisher.  "  Good  morning,"  to  Mrs.  Whit- 
ney. "  Our  young  man  here  is  getting  ahead 
pretty  fast,  I  should  think.  How's  the  leg, 
Dicky?  "  sitting  down  by  him. 

"The  leg  is  all  right,"  cried  Dick;  "I'm 
going  to  step  on  it,"  trying  to  get  out  of  the 
chair. 

"  Dicky !  "  cried  his  mother  in  alarm. 

"  Softly  —  softly  now,  young  man,"  said  Dr. 
Fisher.  "  I  suppose  you  want  me  to  cure  that 
leg  of  yours,  and  make  it  as  good  as  the  other 
one,  don't  you?  " 


170       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"Why,  of  course,"  replied  Dick;  "that's 
what  you  are  a  doctor  for." 

"  Well,  I  won't  agree  to  do  anything  of  the 
sort,"  said  the  little  doctor  coolly,  "  if  you 
don't  do  your  part.  Do  you  know  what  pa- 
tience means  ?  " 

"  I've  been  patient,"  exclaimed  Dick,  in  a 
dudgeon,  "  for  ever  and  ever  so  many  weeks, 
and  now  papa  is  coming  home,  and  I  "  — 

And  then  he  realized  what  he  had  done, 
and  he  turned  quite  pale,  and  looked  at  his 
mother. 

Her  face  gave  no  sign,  but  he  sank  back 
in  his  chair,  feeling  disgraced  for  life,  and 
ready  to  keep  quiet  forever.  And  he  was  so 
good  while  Dr.  Fisher  was  attending  to  his  leg 
that  when  he  was  through,  the  little  doctor 
turned  to  him  approvingly :  "  Well,  sir,  I  think 
that  I  can  promise  that  you  can  go  home  Sat- 
urday. You've  improved  beyond  my  expecta- 
tion." 

But  Dick  didn't  "  hurrah,"  nor  even  smile. 

"  Dicky,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney,  smiling  into 
his  downcast  face,  "  how  glad  we  are  to  hear 


THE   PARTY    SEPARATES 


171 


that ;  just  think,  good  Dr.  Fisher  says  we  may- 
go  next  Saturday." 

"  I'm  glad,"  mumbled  Dick,  in  a  forlorn 
little  voice,  and  till  after  the  door  closed  on 
the  retreating  form  of  the  doctor,  it  was  all 
that  could  be  gotten  out  of  him.  Then  he 
turned  and  put  out  both  arms  to  his  mother. 

"  I  didn't  mean  —  I  didn't  mean  —  I  truly 
didn't  mean  —  to  tell  —  mamma,"  he  sobbed, 
as  she  clasped  him  closely. 

"  I  know  you  didn't,  dear,"  she  soothed  him. 
"  It  has  really  done  no  harm ;  papa  didn't 
want  the  home  people  to  know,  as  he  wants  to 
surprise  them." 

"  But  it  was  a  secret,"  said  Dick,  between 
his  tears,  feeling  as  if  he  had  lost  a  precious 
treasure  entrusted  to  him.  "  O,  mamma !  I 
really  didn't  mean  to  let  it  go." 

"  Mamma  feels  quite  sure  of  that,"  said 
Mrs.  Whitney  gently.  "  You  are  right,  Dicky, 
in  feeling  sorry  and  ashamed,  because  any- 
thing given  to  you  to  keep,  is  not  your  own, 
but  belongs  to  another ;  but,  my  boy,  the  next 
duty  is  to  keep  back  those  tears  —  all  this 
is  hurting  your  leg." 


172 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


Dick  struggled  manfully,  but  still  the  tears 
•  rolled  down  his  cheeks.  At  last  he  said,  rais- 
ing his  head,  "  You  would  much  better  let 
me  have  my  cry  out,  mamma;  it's  half-way, 
and  it  hurts  to  send  it  back." 

"  Well,  I  don't  think  so,"  said  Mrs.  Whit- 
ney, with  a  laugh.  "  I've  often  wanted  to  have 
a  cry  out,  as  you  call  it.  But  that's  weak, 
Dicky,  and  should  be  stopped,  for  the  more 
one  cries,  the  more  one  wants  to." 

"  You've  often  wanted  to  have  a  cry  out?  " 
repeated  Dick,  in  such  amazement  that  every 
tear  just  getting  ready  to  show  itself,  imme- 
diately rushed  back  again.  "  Why,  you  haven't 
anything  to  cry  for,  mamma." 

"  Indeed  I  have,"  she  declared ;  "  often  and 
often,  I  do  many  things  that  I  ought  not  to 
do"  — 

"  Oh !  never,  never,"  cried  Dick,  clutching 
her  around  the  neck,  to  the  detriment  of  her 
lace-trimmed  wrapper.  "  My  sweetest,  dear- 
ingest  mamma  is  ever  and  always  just  right." 

"  Indeed,  Dick,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney  ear- 
nestly, "  the  longer  I  live,  I  find  that  every 
day  I  have  something  to  be  sorry  for  in  my- 


THE   PARTY    SEPARATES 


173 


self.  But  God,  you  know,  is  good,"  she  whis- 
pered softly. 

Dick  was  silent. 

"  And  then  when  papa  goes,"  continued  Mrs. 
Whitney,  "  why,  then,  my  boy,  it  is  very  hard 
not  to  cry." 

Here  was  something  that  the  boy  could 
grasp;    and  he  seized  it  with  avidity. 

"  And  you  stop  crying  for  us,"  he  cried ; 
"  I  know  now  why  you  always  put  on  your 
prettiest  gown,  and  play  games  with  us  the 
evening  after  papa  goes.     I  know  now." 

"  Here  are  three  letters,"  cried  the  parson, 
hurrying  in,  and  tossing  them  over  to  the 
boy.  "  And  Polly  Pepper  has  written  to  me, 
too." 

Dick  screamed  with  delight.  "  Two  for  me ; 
one  from  Ben,  and  one  from  Grandpapa !  " 

"  And  mine  is  from  Phronsie,"  said  Mrs. 
Whitney,  seizing  an  epistle  carefully  printed 
in  blue  crayon. 

But  although  there  were  three  letters  from 
home,  none  of  them  carried  the  news  of  what 
was  going  on  there.  None  of  them  breathed 
a  syllable  that  Cousin  Eunice  Chatterton  was 


174 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


ill  with  a  low  fever,  aggravated  by  nervous 
prostration;  and  that  Mrs.  Pepper  and  Polly- 
were  having  a  pretty  hard  time  of  it.  On  the 
contrary,  every  bit  of  news  was  of  the  cheer- 
iest nature;  Jasper  tucked  on  a  postscript  to 
his  father's  letter,  in  which  he  gave  the  latest 
bulletin  of  his  school  life.  And  Polly  did  the 
same  thing  to  Ben's  letter.  Even  Phronsie 
went  into  a  long  detail  concerning  the  new 
developments  of  a  wonderful  kitten  she  had 
left  at  home,  to  take  her  visit  to  Badgertown, 
so  the  two  recipients  never  missed  the  lack  of 
information  in  regard  to  the  household  life, 
from  which  they  were  shut  out. 

Only  once  Mrs.  Whitney  said  thoughtfully, 
as  she  folded  her  letter  and  slipped  it  back 
into  its  envelope,  "  They  don't  speak  of  Mrs. 
Chatterton.  I  presume  she  has  changed  her 
plans,  and  is  going  to  remain  longer  at  her 
nephew's." 

"  I  hope  she'll  live  there  always,"  declared 
Dick,  looking  up  savagely  from  Ben's  letter. 
"  What  an  old  guy  she  is,  mamma !  " 

"  Dick,  Dick,"  said  his  mother  reprovingly, 
"  she  is  our  guest,  you  know." 


THE  PARTY   SEPARATES  175 

"  Not  if  she  is  at  her  nephew's,"  said  Dick 
triumphantly,  turning  back  to  his  letter. 

Polly  at  this  identical  minute  was  slowly 
ascending  the  stairs,  a  tray  in  one  hand,  the 
contents  of  which  she  was  anxiously  regarding 
on  the  way. 

"  I  do  hope  it  is  right  now,"  she  said, 
and  presently  knocked  at  Mrs.  Chatterton's 
door. 

"  Come  in,"  said  that  lady's  voice  fretfully. 
And  "  Do  close  the  door,"  before  Polly  and 
her  tray  were  well  within. 

Polly  shut  the  door  gently,  and  approached 
the  bedside. 

"  I  am  so  faint  I  do  not  know  that  I  can 
take  any,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton.  Whether  it 
was  her  white  cashmere  dressing-robe,  and 
her  delicate  lace  cap  that  made  her  face  against 
the  pillows  seem  wan  and  white,  Polly  did  not 
know.  But  it  struck  her  that  she  looked  more 
ill  than  usual,  and  she  said  earnestly,  "  I  an? 
so  sorry  I  wasn't  quicker." 

"  There  is  no  call  for  an  apology  from  you," 
said  Mrs.  Chatterton  coldly.     "  Set  the  tray 


176       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

down  on  the  table,  and  get  a  basin  of  water; 
I  need  to  be  bathed." 

Polly  stood  quite  still,  even  forgetting  to 
deposit  the  tray. 

"  Set  the  tray  down,  I  told  you,"  repeated 
Mrs.  Chatterton  sharply,  "  and  then  get  the 
basin  of  water." 

"  I  will  call  Hortense,"  said  Polly  quietly, 
placing  the  tray  as  desired. 

"  Hortense  has  gone  to  the  apothecary's," 
said  Mrs.  Chatterton,  "  and  I  will  not  have 
one  of  the  other  maids;  they  are  too  insuffer- 
able." 

And  indeed  Polly  knew  that  it  would  be 
small  use  to  summon  one  of  them,  as  Martha, 
the  most  obliging,  had  airily  tossed  her  head 
when  asked  to  do  some  little  service  for  the 
sick  woman  that  very  morning,  declaring,  "  I 
will  never  lift  another  finger  for  that  Madame 
Chatterton." 

"  My  neck  aches,  and  my  side,  and  my 
head,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton  irritably ;  "  why 
do  you  not  do  as  I  bid  you  ?  " 

For  one  long  istant,  Polly  hesitated ;  then 
she  turned  to  rush  from  the  room,  a  flood  of 


THE   PARTY    SEPARATES 


177 


angry,  bitter  feelings  surging  through  her 
heart,  more  at  the  insufferable  tone  and  man- 
ner, than  at  what  she  was  bidden  to  do.  Only 
turned;  and  she  was  back  by  the  side  of  the 
bed,  and  looking  down  into  the  fretful,  dic- 
tatorial old  face. 

"  I  will  bathe  you,   Mrs.   Chatterton,"   she 
said  gently ;  "  I'll  bring  the  water  in  a  minute." 


CHAPTER  XL 

POOR   POLLY ! 

"  ^V^OU    are    very    awkward,    child,"    ob- 
served   Mrs.    Chatterton   to   Polly   on 
her   knees,    "  and    abrupt.     Move   the   sponge 
more  slowly;  there,  that  is  better." 

Polly  shifted  her  position  from  one  aching 
knee  to  another,  set  her  lips  closer  together, 
and  bent  all  her  young  energies  to  gentler 
effects.  But  Mrs.  Chatterton  cried  out  irri- 
tably ; 

"  Have  you  never  taken  care  of  a  sick  per- 
son, pray  tell,  or  is  it  all  your  back-country 
training,  that  makes  you  so  heavy-handed?" 

"  I  helped  mother  take  care  of  Phronsie 
when  she  had  the  measles,  and  Ben  and  Joel," 
said  Polly,  "  five  years  ago ;  we  haven't  been 
sick  lately." 

178 


POOR   POLLY!  179 

"  Humph!  "  ejaculated  Mrs.  Chatterton,  not 
very  elegantly.  But  what  was  the  use  of  a 
fine  manner  when  there  was  nobody  but  a  lit- 
tle back-country  maiden  to  see  it? 

"  I  shall  have  to  endure  it  till  Hortense  re- 
turns," she  said  with  a  sigh ;  "  besides,  it  is 
my  duty  to  give  you  something  useful  to  do 
in  this  house.  You  should  be  thankful  that 
I  allow  you  to  bathe  me." 

Polly's  eyes  flashed,  and  the  hand  holding 
the  sponge  trembled.  Nothing  but  the  fear  of 
troubling  Mamsie,  and  dear  old  Mr.  King 
whose  forbearance  was  worn  to  the  finest  of 
threads,  kept  her  at  her  post. 

"  Now  get  the  violet  water,"  said  Mrs. 
Chatterton,  with  an  air  she  would  never  have 
dared  employ  towards  Hortense ;  "  it  is  the 
bottle  in  the  lower  left-hand  corner  of  the 
case." 

Polly  got  up  from  her  knees,  and  stiffly 
stumbled  across  the  room  to  the  case  of  silver- 
mounted  toilet  articles :  in  her  tumult  bring- 
ing away  the  upper  right-hand  corner  vial. 

"  Stupide ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Chattenton 
among  her  pillows.     "  Go  back,  and  do  as  I 


180       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

bid  you,  girl;  the  lower  left-hand  corner 
bottle!" 

Without  a  word  Polly  returned,  and  bring- 
ing the  right  vial  set  about  its  use  as  directed, 
in  a  rapidly  growing  dismay  at  the  evil  feel- 
ings surging  through  her,  warning  her  it  would 
not  be  safe  to  stay  in  the  room  much  longer. 

"  Do  you  understand,"  presently  began  Mrs. 
Chatterton,  fastening  her  cold  blue  eyes  upon 
her,  "  what  your  position  is  in  this  house  ? 
Everybody  else  appears  to  be  blind  and  idiotic 
to  the  last  degree;  you  seem  to  have  a  little 
quickness  to  catch  an  idea." 

As  Polly  did  not  answer,  the  question  was 
repeated  very  sharply :  "  Do  you  understand 
what  your  position  is  in  this  house  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Polly,  in  a  low  voice,  and  dash- 
ing out  the  violet  water  with  a  reckless  hand, 
"  I  do." 

"  Take  care,"  impatiently  cried  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton. Then  she  pushed  her  pillow  into  a 
better  position,  and  returned  to  the  charge. 

"  What  is  it,  pray,  since  you  understand  it 
so  well?" 

"  I  understand  that  I  am  here  in  this  house," 


POOR    POLLY!  181 

said  Polly,  quite  cold  and  white,  "  because  dear 
Mr.  King  wants  me  to  be  here." 

"Dear  Mr.  King!"  echoed  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton,  in  shrill  disdain.  "  Stuff  and  non- 
sense," and  she  put  her  head  back  for  an 
unpleasant  cackle;  it  could  hardly  be  called 
a  laugh.  "  What  an  idiot  the  man  is  to  have 
the  wool  pulled  over  his  eyes  in  this  fashion. 
I'll  tell  you,  Polly  "  —  and  she  raised  herself 
up  on  her  elbow,  the  soft  lace  falling  away 
from  the  white,  and  yet  shapely  arm.  This 
member  had  been  one  of  her  strongest  claims 
to  beauty,  and  even  in  her  rage,  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton  paused  a  second  to  glance  complacently 
at  it  in  its  new  position  —  "  you  are,  when 
all  is  said  about  your  dear  Mr.  King,  and 
your  absurd  assumption  of  equality  with  re- 
fined people  who  frequent  this  house,  exactly 
the  same  underbred  country  girl  as  you  were 
in  your  old  brown  house,  goodness  knows 
wherever  that  is." 

"  I'm  glad  I  am,"  declared  Polly.  And  she 
actually  laughed  merrily,  while  she  squared  her 
sturdy  shoulders.  Nothing  could  be  sweeter 
than  to  hear  it  said  she  was  worthy  of  the 


182       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

dear  little  old  brown  house,  and  didn't  dis- 
grace Mamsie's  bringing  up. 

The  laugh  was  the  last  feather  that  over- 
threw Mrs.  Chatterton's  restraint.  She  was 
actually  furious  now  that  she,  widow  of  Alger- 
non Chatterton,  who  was  own  cousin  to  Joseph 
Horatio  King,  should  be  faced  by  such  pre- 
sumption, and  her  words  put  aside  with  girl- 
ish amusement. 

"  And  I'll  tell  you  more,"  she  went  on,  sit- 
ting quite  erect  now  on  the  bed,  "  your  mother 
thinks  she  is  doing  a  fine  thing  to  get  all  her 
family  wormed  in  here  in  this  style,  but 
she'll  "  — 

Polly  Pepper,  the  girlish  gladness  gone  from 
heart  and  face,  waited  for  no  more.  "  Our 
mother  I "  she  cried  stormily,  unable  to  utter 
another  word  —  "  oh-oh !  "  Her  breath  came 
in  quick,  short  gasps,  the  hot  indignant  blood 
mounting  to  the  brown  waves  of  hair  on  her 
brow,  while  she  clasped  her  hands  so  tightly 
together,  the  pain  at  any  other  time  would  have 
made  her  scream. 

Mrs.  Chatterton,  aghast  at  the  effect  of  her 
words,  leaned  back  once  more  against  her  pil- 


POOR   POLLY!  183 

lows.  "  Don't  try  to  work  up  a  scene,"  she 
endeavored  to  say  carelessly.  But  she  might 
as  well  has  remonstrated  with  the  north  wind. 
The  little  country  maiden  had  a  temper  as  well 
as  her  own,  and  all  the  more  for  its  long  re- 
straint, now  on  breaking  bounds,  it  rushed  at 
the  one  who  had  provoked  it,  utterly  regard- 
less that  it  was  the  great  Mrs.  Algernon  Chat- 
terton. 

For  two  minutes,  so  breathlessly  did  Polly 
hurl  the  stinging  sentences  at  the  figure  on  the 
bed,  Cousin  Eunice  was  obliged  to  let  her 
have  her  own  way.  Then  as  suddenly,  the  tor- 
rent ceased.  Polly  grew  quite  white.  "  What 
have  I  done  —  oh !  what  have  I  done  ?  "  she 
cried,  and  rushed  out  of  the  room. 

"  Polly  —  Polly !  "  called  Jasper's  voice  be- 
low. She  knew  he  wanted  her  to  try  a  new 
duet  he  had  gone  down  town  to  purchase ;  but 
how  could  she  play  with  such  a  storm  in  her 
heart  ?  and,  worse  than  all  else,  was  the  con- 
sciousness that  she  had  spoken  to  one  whose 
gray  hairs  should  have  made  her  forget  the 
provocation  received,  words  that  now  plunged 
her  into  a  hot  shame  to  recall. 


1 84       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

She  flew  over  the  stairs  —  up,  away  from 
every  one's  sight,  to  a  long,  dark  lumber  room, 
partially  filled  with  trunks,  and  a  few  articles 
of  furniture,  prized  as  heirlooms,  but  no  lon- 
ger admissible  in  the  family  apartments.  Polly 
closed  the  door  behind  her,  and  sank  down  in 
the  shadow  of  a  packing  box  half  filled  with 
old  pictures,  in  a  distress  that  would  not  even 
let  her  think.  She  covered  her  face  with  her 
hands,  too  angry  with  herself  to  cry;  too 
aghast  at  the  mischief  she  had  done,  to  even 
remember  the  dreadful  words  Mrs.  Chatterton 
had  said  to  her. 

"  For  of  course,  now  she  will  complain  to 
Mamsie,  and  I'm  really  afraid  Mr.  King  will 
find  it  out;  and  it  only  needs  a  little  thing 
to  make  him  send  her  off.  He  said  yesterday 
Dr.  Valentine  told  him  there  was  nothing  really 
the  matter  with  her  —  and  —  O  dear !  I  don't 
know  what  will  happen." 

To  poor  Polly,  crouching  there  on  the  floor 
in  the  dim  and  dusty  corner,  it  seemed  as  if 
her  wretchedness  held  no  hope.  Turn  which- 
ever way  she  might,  the  dreadful  words  she 
had  uttered,   rang  through  her  heart.     They 


POOR   POLLY!  185 

could  not  be  unsaid;  they  were  never  to  be 
forgotten;  but  must  always  stay  and  rankle 
there. 

"  Oh-oh !  "  she  moaned,  clasping  her  knees 
with  distressed  little  palms,  and  swaying  back 
and  forth,  "  why  didn't  I  remember  what 
Mamsie  has  always  told  us  —  that  no  insult 
can  do  us  harm  if  only  we  do  not  say  or  do 
anything  in  return.  Why  —  why  couldn't  I 
have  remembered  it?  " 

How  long  she  stayed  there  she  never  knew. 
But  at  last,  realizing  that  every  moment  there 
was  only  making  matters  worse,  she  dragged 
herself  up  from  the  little  heap  on  the  floor, 
and  trying  to  put  a  bit  of  cheerfulness  into  a 
face  she  knew  must  frighten  Mamsie,  she  went 
slowly  out,  and  down  the  stairs. 

But  no  one  looked  long  enough  at  her  face 
to  notice  its  change  of  expression.  Polly,  the 
moment  she  turned  towards  the  household  life 
again,  could  feel  that  the  air  was  charged  with 
some  intense  excitement.  Hortense  met  her  on 
the  lower  stairs ;  the  maid  was  startled  out  of 
her  usual  nonchalance,  and  was  actually  in  a 
hurry. 


186       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  cried  Polly. 

"Oh!  the  Madame  is  eel,"  said  the  maid; 
"  the  doctaire  says  it  is  not  a  lie  dees  time," 
and  she  swept  past  Polly. 

Polly  clung  to  the  stair-railing,  her  face 
whitening,  and  her  gaze  fastened  upon  Mrs. 
Chatterton's  door,  where  Hortense  was  now 
disappearing.  Inside,  was  a  sound  of  voices, 
and  that  subdued  stir  that  gives  token  of  a 
sick  room. 

"  I  have  killed  her !  "  cried  Polly's  heart. 
For  one  wild  moment  she  was  impelled  to 
flight;  anywhere,  she  did  not  care  where,  to 
shake  off  by  motion  in  the  free  air,  this  paraly- 
sis of  fear.  But  the  next  she  started  and 
rushing  down  the  stairs,  and  into  Mr.  King's 
room,  cried  out,  "  Oh !  dear  Grandpapa,  will 
Mrs.  Chatterton  die?" 

"  No,  no,  I  think  not,"  replied  the  old  gen- 
tleman, surprised  at  her  feeling.  "  Cousin 
Eunice  never  did  show  much  self-control ;  but 
then,  I  don't  believe  this  piece  of  bad  news  will 
kill  her." 

"  Bad  news  ?  "  gasped  Polly,  hanging  to  the 


POOR   POLLY!  187 

table  where  Mr.  King  was  writing  letters. 
"  Oh   Grandpapa!   what  do  you  mean?  " 

"  Bless  me !  where  have  you  been,  Polly 
Pepper,"  said  Mr.  King,  settling  his  eyeglass 
to  regard  her  closely,  "  not  to  hear  the  uproar 
in  this  house?  Yes,  Mrs.  Chatterton  received 
a  telegram  a  half-hour  since  that  her  nephew, 
the  only  one  that  she  was  very  fond  of  among 
her  relatives,  was  drowned  at  sea,  and  she  has 
been  perfectly  prostrated  by  it,  till  she  really 
is  quite  ill." 

Polly  waited  to  hear  no  more,  but  on  the 
wings  of  the  wind,  flew  out  and  up  the  stairs 
once  more. 

"  Where  have  you  been,  Polly  ?  "  cried  Jas- 
per, coming  out  of  a  side  passage  in  time  to 
catch  a  dissolving  view  of  her  flying  figure. 
"  Polly  —  Polly !  "  and  he  took  three  steps  to 
her  one,  and  gained  her  side. 

"Oh!  don't  stop  me,"  begged  Polly,  flying 
on,  "  don't,  Jasper." 

He  took  a  good  look  at  her  face.  "  Any- 
thing I  can  help  you  about  ?  "  he  asked  quickly. 

She  suddenly  stopped,  her  foot  on  the  stair 
above.     "  Oh,  Jasper !  "  she  cried,  with  clasped 


188       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

hands,  "  you  don't  know  —  she  may  die,  and 
I  said  horribly  cruel  things  to  her." 

"Who — Mrs.  Chatterton?"  said  the  boy, 
opening  his  dark  eyes ;  "  why,  you  couldn't 
have  said  cruel  things  to  her,  Polly.  Don't  be 
foolish,  child."  He  spoke  as  he  would  to 
Phronsie's  terror,  and  smiled  into  her  face. 
But  it  did  not  reassure  Polly. 

"  Jasper,  you  don't  know ;  you  can't  guess 
what  dreadful  things  I  said,"  cried  poor  over- 
whelmed Polly,  clasping  her  hands  tightly  to- 
gether at  the  mere  thought  of  the  words  she 
had  uttered. 

"  Then  she  must  have  said  dreadful  things 
to  you,"  said  the  boy. 

"  She  —  but,  oh,  Jasper !  that  doesn't  make 
it  any  better  for  me,"  said  Polly.  "  Don't  stop 
me;  I  am  going  to  see  if  they  won't  let  me 
do  something  for  her." 

"  There  are  ever  so  many  people  up  there 
now,"  said  Jasper.  "  Your  mother,  and  Hor- 
tense,  and  two  or  three  maids.  What  in  the 
world  could  you  do,  Polly?  Come  down  into 
the  library,  and  tell  us  all  about  it." 

But  Polly  broke  away   from  him  with  an 


POOR   POLLY!  189 

"Oh!  I  must  do  something  for  her,"  speed- 
ing on  until  she  softly  worked  her  way  into 
the  sick  room. 

Mrs.  Pepper  was  busy  with  the  doctor  in 
the  further  part  of  the  room,  and  Polly  stood 
quite  still  for  a  moment,  wishing  she  were  one 
of  the  maids,  to  whom  a  bit  of  active  ser- 
vice was  given.  She  could  not  longer  endure 
her  thoughts  in  silence,  and  gently  going  up 
to  her  mother's  side,  with  a  timorous  glance 
at  the  bed,  as  she  passed  it,  she  begged,  "  Mam- 
sie,  can't  I  do  something  for  her  ?  " 

Mrs.  Pepper  glanced  up  quickly.  "  No  — 
yes,  you  can;  take  this  prescription  down  to 
Oakley's  to  be  prepared." 

Polly  seized  the  bit  of  paper  from  Dr. 
Valentine's  hand,  and  huried  out.  Again  she 
glanced  fearfully  at  the  bed,  but  the  curtain 
on  that  side  was  drawn  so  that  only  the  out- 
line of  the  figure  could  be  seen.  She  was  soon 
out  on  the  street,  the  movement  through  the 
fresh  air  bringing  back  a  little  color  to  her 
cheek,  and  courage  to  her  heart.  Things  did 
not  seem  quite  so  bad  if  she  only  might  do 
something  for  the  poor  sick  woman  that  could 


190 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


atone  for  the  wretched  work  she  had  done;  at 
least  it  would  be  some  comfort  if  the  invalid 
could  be  helped  by  her  service. 

Thus  revolving  everything  in  her  mind,  Polly 
did  not  hear  her  name  called,  nor  rapid  foot- 
steps hurrying  after. 

"Wait!"  at  last  cried  a  voice;  "O  dear 
me!  what  is  the  matter,  Polly?  "  Alexia  Rhys 
threw  herself  up  flushed  and  panting  at  Polly's 
side. 

"  I'm  on  the  way  to  the  apothecary's,"  said 
Polly,  without  looking  around. 

"So  I  should  suppose,"  said  Alexia;  "O 
dear!  I'm  so  hot  and  tired.  Do  go  a  bit 
slower,  Polly." 

"  I  can't,"  said  Polly.  "  She's  very  sick,  and 
I  must  get  this  just  as  soon  as  I  can."  She 
waved  the  prescription  at  her,  and  redoubled 
her  speed. 

"Who?"  gasped  Alexia,  stumbling  after 
as  best  she  could. 

"  Mrs.  Chatterton,"  said  Polly,  a  lump  in 
her  throat  as  she  uttered  the  name. 

"O  dear  me!  that  old  thing,"  cried  Alexia, 
her  enthusiasm  over  the  errand  gone. 


POOR   POLLY!  191 

"  Hush !  "  said  Polly  hoarsely ;  "  she  may 
die.     She  has  had  bad  news." 

"  What?  "  asked  Alexia;  the  uncomfortable 
walk  might  be  enlivened  by  a  bit  of  stray 
gossip;    "what  is  it,  Polly?    What  news?" 

"  A  telegram,"  said  Polly.  "  Her  favorite 
nephew  was  drowned  at  sea." 

"  Oh !  I  didn't  know  she  had  any  favorite 
nephew.     Doesn't  she  fight  with  everybody?" 

"  Do  be  quiet,"  begged  Polly.  "  No ;  that 
is,  perhaps,  other  people  are  not  kind  to  her." 

"  Oh !  "  said  Alexia,  in  a  surprised  voice. 
"  Well,  I  think  she's  perfectly  and  all-through- 
and-through  horrid,  so!  Don't  race  like  this 
through  the  streets,  Polly.  You'll  get  there 
soon  enough." 

But  Polly  turned  a  deaf  ear,  and  at  last  the 
prescription  was  handed  over  the  counter  at 
Oakley's,  and  after  what  seemed  an  endless 
time  to  Polly,  the  medicine  was  given  to  her. 

"  Now  as  soon  as  you  carry  that  thing 
home,"  observed  Alexia,  glancing  at  the  white 
parcel  in  Polly's  hand,  "  I  hope  you'll  come 
with  us  girls.  That's  what  I  ran  after  you 
for." 


192 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


"What  girls?"  asked  Polly. 

"  Why,  Philena  and  the  Conwalls ;  we  are 
going  to  have  a  sleighing  party  to-night,  and 
a  supper  at  Lilly  Drexell's.  Mrs.  Cornwall 
chaperones  the  thing." 

Polly  was  surprised  to  feel  her  heart  bound. 
It  hadn't  seemed  as  if  it  could  ever  be  moved 
by  any  news  of  girlish  frolics,  but  that  its  dull 
ache  must  go  on  forever. 

"  Oh !  I  can't,"  she  cried  the  next  moment. 
"  I  must  stay  at  home,  and  help  take  care  of 
Mrs.  Chatterton." 

"  Nonsense !  "  exclaimed  Alexia  in  a  pro- 
voked tone ;  "  you  are  not  wanted  there,  Polly 
Pepper;  the  idea,  with  that  great  house  full 
of  servants." 

"Well,  I  shall  not  go,"  declared  Polly 
sharply ;  "  you  needn't  ask  me,  Alexia.  I  shall 
stay  home  till  she  gets  well." 

"  You  little  idiot !  "  cried  Alexia,  thoroughly 
out  of  temper.  But  as  this  produced  no  effect 
on  Polly,  she  began  to  wheedle  and  coax. 
"  Now,  Polly,  do  be  reasonable.  You  know 
we  can't  go  without  you;  you  wouldn't  spoil 
the  whole  thing;   you  know  you  wouldn't.     I 


POOR   POLLY! 


193 


shall  just  tell  the  Corn  walls  that  you  are  com- 
ing," and  she  turned  off  to  the  corner  of  the 
avenue. 

"  Indeed  you  will  not,"  called  Polly  after 
her.  "  Don't  you  dare  do  that,  Alexia  Rhys," 
she  said,  with  flashing  eyes. 

"  You  are  the  most  uncomfortable  girl  I 
ever  saw,"  cried  Alexia,  stopping,  to  come 
slowly  back.  "  You  spoil  every  bit  of  fun 
with  your  absurd  notions.  I'm  quite,  quite 
put  out  with  you,  Polly." 

"  I'm  sorry,"  said  poor  Polly,  fairly  longing 
for  the  snow-revel,  and  dismayed  at  disap- 
pointing the  girls. 

"  No,  you're  not,"  pouted  Alexia,  "  and  I 
shall  tell  them  all  so,"  and  she  broke  away  and 
ran  off  in  the  opposite  direction. 

Polly  was  met  at  the  door  by  Mrs.  Pepper, 
who  grasped  the  packet  of  medicine  quickly. 

"  Isn't  there  anything  else  I  can  do,  Mam- 
sie  ?  "  begged  Polly. 

"  No ;  sit  down  and  rest ;  you're  hot  and 
tired,  you've  run  so." 

"  I'm  not  tired,"  said  Polly,  not  daring  to 
ask  "Is  she  better?" 


I94       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  Well,  you  must  be,"  said  Mrs.  Pepper, 
hurring  off,  "  going  all  the  way  down  to 
Oakley's." 

So  Polly  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  sit  out 
in  the  hall,  and  listen  and  watch  all  the  move- 
ments in  the  sick  room,  every  one  of  which 
but  increased  her  terror.  At  last  she  could 
bear'  it  no  longer,  and  as  Dr.  Valentine  came 
out,  putting  on  his  gloves,  she  rushed  after 
him. 

"  Oh !  will  she  die  ?  "  she  begged ;  "  please 
do  tell  me,  sir?  " 

"Die?  no  indeed,  I  hope  not,"  said  Dr. 
Valentine.  "  She  has  had  a  severe  shock  to 
her  nerves  and  her  age  is  against  her,  but  she 
is  coming  around  all  right,  I  trust.  Why, 
Polly,  I  thought  better  things  of  you,  my  girl." 
He  glanced  down  into  the  distressed  face  with 
professional  disfavor. 

"  I'm  so  glad  she  won't  die,"  breathed  Polly, 
wholly  lost  to  his  opinion  of  her;  and  her  face 
gleamed  with  something  of  her  old  bright- 
ness. 

"  I  didn't  know  you  were  so  fond  of  her," 
observed  Dr.  Valentine  grimly ;    "  indeed,  to 


POOR   POLLY!  J95 

speak  truthfully,  I  have  yet  to  learn  that  any- 
body is  fond  of  her,  Polly." 

"  Now  if  you  really  want  to  help  her,"  he 
continued  thoughtfully,  pulling  his  beard,  as 
Polly  did  not  answer,  "  I  can  give  you  one  or 
two  hints  that  might  be  of  use." 

"Oh!  I  do,  I  do,"  cried  Polly,  with  eager- 
ness. 

"  It  will  be  tiresome  work,"  said  Dr.  Valen- 
tine, "  but  it  will  be  a  piece  of  real  charity, 
and  perhaps,  Polly,  it's  as  well  for  you  to  begin 
now  as  to  wait  till  you  can  belong  to  forty 
charity  clubs,  and  spend  your  time  going  to 
committee  meetings."  And  he  laughed  not 
altogether  pleasantly.  How  was  Polly  to  know 
that  Mrs.  Valentine  was  immersed  up  to  her 
ears  in  a  philanthropic  sea  with  the  smallest 
possible  thought  for  the  doctor's  home?  "  Now 
that  maid,"  said  the  physician,  dropping  his 
tone  to  a  confidential  one,  "  is  as  well  as  the 
average,  but  she's  not  the  one  who  is  to  amuse 
the  old  lady.  It's  that  she  needs  more  than 
medicine,  Polly.  She  actually  requires  diver- 
sion." 

Poor    Polly   stood    as    if   turned   to   stone. 


196       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

Diversion!     And   she  had   thrown   away   all 
chance  of  that. 

"  She  is  suffering  for  the  companionship 
of  some  bright  young  nature,"  Dr.  Valentine 
proceeded,  attributing  the  dismay  written  all 
over  the  girl's  face,  to  natural  unwillingness 
to  do  the  service.  "  After  she  gets  over  this 
attack  she  needs  to  be  read  to  for  one  thing; 
to  be  told  the  news ;  to  be  made  to  forget  her- 
self. But  of  course,  Polly,"  he  said  hastily, 
buttoning  his  top  coat,  and  opening  the  outer 
door,  "  it's  too  much  to  ask  of  you;  so  think 
no  more  about  it,  child." 


CHAPTER    XII. 

NEW    WORK    FOR    POLLY. 

yT  was  Saturday  morning,  and  Polly  ran  up- 
j[  stairs  with  a  bright  face,  the  morning  Jour- 
nal in  her  hand.  "  I'm  going  to  stay  with  Mrs. 
Chatterton,  Hortense,"  she  announced  to  that 
functionary  in  the  dressing-room. 

"  And  a  comfairte  may  it  gif  to  you,"  said 
Hortense,  with  a  vicious  shake  of  the  silk 
wrapper  in  her  hand,  before  hanging  it  in  its 
place.  "  Madame  has  the  tres  diablerie,  cross 
as  de  two  steeks,  what  you  call  it,  dis  morn- 
ing." 

Polly  went  softly  into  the  room,  closing  the 
door  gently  after  her.  In  the  shadow  of  one 
corner  of  the  large  apartment,  sat  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton under  many  wrappings  in  the  depths  of 
an  invalid's  chair.  Polly  went  up  to  her 
side. 

197 


198       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  Would  you  like  to  have  me  read  the  news, 
Mrs,  Chatterton?  "  she  asked  gently. 

Mrs.  Chatterton  turned  her  head  and  looked 
at  her.  "  No,"  she  was  about  to  say  shortly, 
just  as  she  had  repulsed  many  little  offers  of 
Polly's  for  the  past  few  days;  but  somehow 
this  morning  the  crackling  of  the  fresh  sheet 
in  the  girl's  hand,  suggestive  of  crisp  bits  of 
gossip,  was  too  much  for  her  to  hear  indiffer- 
ently, especially  as  she  was  in  a  worse  state  of 
mind  than  usual  over  Hortense  and  her  bad 
temper. 

"  You  may  sit  down  and  read  a  little,  if  you 
like,"  she  said  ungraciously.  So  Polly,  happy 
as  a  queen  at  the  permission,  slipped  into  a 
convenient  chair,  and  began  at  once.  She  hap- 
pened fortunately  on  just  the  right  things  for 
the  hungry  ears;  a  description  of  a  large 
church  wedding,  the  day  before;  two  or  three 
bits  about  society  people  that  Mrs.  Chatterton 
had  lost  sight  of,  and  a  few  other  items  just 
as  acceptable. 

Polly  read  on  and  on,  from  one  thing  to 
another,  not  daring  to  look  up  to  see  the  effect, 


NEW   WORK  FOR   POLLY 


199 


until  at  last  everything  in  the  way  of  gossip 
was  exhausted. 

"Is  that  all?"  asked  Mrs.  Chatterton 
hungrily. 

Polly,  hunting  the  columns  for  anything, 
even  a  murder  account  if  it  was  but  in  high 
life,  turned  the  paper  again  disconsolately, 
obliged  to  confess  it  was. 

"  Well,  do  put  it  by,  then,"  said  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton sharply,  "  and  not  whirl  it  before  my 
face;    it  gives  me  a  frightful  headache." 

"  I  might  get  the  Tozvn  Talk,"  suggested 
Polly,  as  a  bright  thought  struck  her.  "  It 
came  yesterday.    I  saw  it  on  the  library  table." 

"  So  it  is  Saturday."  Mrs.  Chatterton  looked 
up  quickly.  "  Yes,  you  may,  Polly,"  her 
mouth  watering  for  the  revel  she  would  have 
in  its  contents. 

So  Polly  ran  over  the  stairs  with  delighted 
feet,  and  into  the  library,  beginning  to  rum- 
mage over  the  papers  and  magazines  on  the 
reading  table. 

"  Where  is  it?  "  she  exclaimed,  turning  them 
with  quick  fingers.  "  O  dear !  it  was  right 
here  last  evening." 


200       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Phronsie,  from  the 
depths  of  a  big  arm-chair,  and  looking  up  from 
her  book.  Then  she  saw  as  soon  as  she  had 
asked  the  question,  that  Polly  was  in  trouble, 
so  she  laid  down  her  book,  and  slid  out  of 
the  chair.  "  What  is  it,  Polly  ?  Let  me  help 
you,  do." 

"  Why,  the  Town  Talk  —  that  hateful  old 
society  thing,"  said  Polly,  throwing  the  papers 
to  right  and  left.  "  You  know,  Phronsie ;  it 
has  a  picture  of  a  bottle  of  ink,  and  a  big  quill 
for  a  heading.  O  dear !  do  help  me,  child,  for 
she  will  get  nervous  if  I  am  gone  long." 

"Oh!  I  know  where  that  is,"  said  Phron- 
sie deliberately,  laying  a  cool  little  hand  on 
Polly's  hot  one. 

"Where?"  demanded  Polly  feverishly. 
"Oh,  Phronsie!   where?" 

"  Jack  Rutherford  has  it." 

Polly  threw  down  the  papers,  and  started 
for  the  door. 

"  He  has  gone,"  said  Phronsie ;  "  he  went 
home  almost  an  hour  ago." 

Polly  turned  sharply  at  her.  "  What  did 
he  want  Tozvn  Talk  for  ?  " 


NEW  WORK  FOR   POLLY  20I 

"  He  said  it  was  big,  and  he  asked  Grand- 
papa if  he  might  have  it,  and  Grandpapa  said 
Yes.  I  don't  know  what  he  wanted  it  for," 
said  Phronsie.  "  And  he  took  other  news- 
papers, too,  Polly;   oh!   ever  so  many." 

"  Well,  I  don't  care  how  many  he  took,  nor 
what  they  were,"  cried  Polly,  "  only  that  very 
identical  one.  O  dear  me!  Well,  I'll  ask 
Jasper." 

And  rushing  from  the  library,  Phronsie  fol- 
lowing in  a  small  panic  over  Polly's  distress, 
she  knocked  at  the  door  of  Jasper's  den,  a 
little  room  in  the  wing,  looking  out  on  the 
east  lawn. 

"  Oh !  I  am  so  glad  you  are  here,"  she  ex- 
claimed as  "  Come  in !  "  greeted  her,  and  both 
Phronsie  and  she  precipitated  themselves  with 
no  show  of  ceremony,  in  front  of  his  study 
table.  "  O,  Jasper !  could  you  get  me  a  copy 
of  Town  Talk?  Jack  Rutherford  has  gone  off 
with  ours." 

"Town  Talk!"  repeated  Jasper,  raising  his 
head  from  his  hands  to  stare  at  her. 

"  Yes ;  Jack  has  taken  ours  off ;  Grand- 
papa gave  it  to  him.     Can  you,  Jasper?    Will 


202       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

it  break  up  your  study  much  ?  "  she  poured 
out  anxiously. 

"  No  —  that  is  —  never  mind,"  said  Jasper, 
pushing  the  book  away  and  springing  from  his 
chair.  "  But  whatever  in  the  world  do  you 
want  that  trash  for  ?  "  He  turned,  and  looked 
at  her  curiously. 

"  Mrs.  Chatterton  will  let  me  read  it  to  her ; 
she  said  so,"  cried  Polly,  clasping  her  hands 
nervously,  "  but  if  I  don't  get  the  paper  soon, 
why,  I'm  afraid  she'll  change  her  mind." 

Jasper  gave  a  low  whistle  as  he  flung  him- 
self into  his  coat.  "  Inestimable  privilege !  " 
he  exclaimed  at  last,  tossing  on  his  cap. 

"  Oh,  Jasper!  you  are  so  good,"  cried  Polly 
in  a  small  rapture.  "  I'm  so  sorry  to  have  to 
ask  you." 

"  I'll  go  for  you,  Jasper,"  declared  Phron- 
sie ;  "  Mamsie  will  let  me ;  I  almost  know  she 
will." 

"  No,  no,  Phronsie,"  said  Jasper,  as  she  was 
flying  off ;  "  it  isn't  any  place  for  you  to  go 
to.  I  shall  get  one  at  the  hotel  —  the  Allibone. 
I'll  be  back  in  a  trice,  Polly." 

Polly  went  out,  and  sat  down  in  one  of  the 


NEW   WORK  FOR   POLLY 


203 


big  oaken  chairs  in  the  hall  to  seize  it  as  it 
came,  and  Phronsie  deposited  herself  in  an 
opposite  chair,  and  watched  Polly.  And  pres- 
ently in  came  Jasper,  waving  the  desired  jour- 
nal. Polly,  with  a  beaming  face,  grasped  it 
and  rushed  off  upstairs. 

"  Polly,"  called  the  boy,  looking  after  her, 
"  it  isn't  too  late  now  for  you  to  go  with 
them.  Lucy  Bennett  met  me  at  the  corner 
and  she  said  they  will  take  the  twelve  o'clock 
train,  instead  of  the  eleven,  and  she  wanted 
me  to  beg  you  to  come." 

"  No,  no,"  tossed  back  Polly,  rushing  on, 
"  I  am  quite  determined  to  stay  at  home." 
Then  she  went  into  Mrs.  Chatterton's  room, 
and  closed  the  door.  But  she  couldn't  so  easily 
shut  out  the  longings  that  would  rise  in  her 
heart  for  the  Saturday  outing  that  the  other 
girls  were  to  have.  How  lovely  it  would  be! 
the  run  out  to  Silvia  Home's  charming  house 
some  ten  miles  distant;  the  elegant  luncheon 
they  would  have,  followed  by  games,  and  a 
dance  in  the  ball-room  upstairs,  that  Silvia's 
older  sisters  used  for  their  beautiful  parties. 
Then  the  merry  return  before  dusk,  of  the 


204       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

twelve    girls,    all    capital    friends    at    school! 
Oh-oh!" 

"  You've  been  an  unconscionable  time,"  ex- 
claimed Mrs.  Chatterton  in  a  sharp,  high  key, 
"  just  to  get  a  paper.  Well,  do  sit  down ;  lam 
quite  tired  waiting  for  you." 

Polly  sat  down,  and  resolutely  plunged  into 
the  column  where  the  news  items  promised  the 
most  plentiful  yield,  but  in  between  the  lines 
ran  the  doings  of  the  girls :  how  they  were  all 
assembling  by  this  time  at  Lucy  Bennett's; 
how  they  were  hurrying  off  to  the  train,  and  all 
the  other  delightful  movements  of  the  "  out- 
ing "  flashed  before  her  eyes,  as  she  finished 
item  after  item  of  her  dreary  task.  But  how 
Mrs.  Chatterton  gloated  over  it ! 

At  last  Polly,  feeling  as  if  she  could  not  en- 
dure another  five  minutes  of  it,  glanced  up  to 
see  the  old  lady's  eyes  actually  sparkling;  her 
mouth  had  fallen  into  contented  curves,  and 
the  jeweled  hand  resting  on  the  chair-arm  was 
playing  with  the  fringe,  while  she  leaned  for- 
ward that  she  might  not  lose  a  word. 

"  Read  that  again,  Polly,"  she  said,  "  the  list 
of   presents   exhibited   at    Arabella    Granger's 


NEW   WORK  FOR   POLLY 


205 


wedding.  I  didn't  hear  any  mention  of  the 
Archibalds.  It  can't  be  that  they  have  fallen 
out ;  and  read  more  slowly." 

So  Polly  began  once  more  the  long  lists  of 
gifts  that  ushered  in  the  matrimonial  happi- 
ness of  Mrs.  John  Westover  nee  Miss  Arabella 
Granger ;  this  time,  however,  stimulated  by  the 
pleasure  she  was  giving,  to  find  it  an  endurable 
task. 

It  seemed  to  Polly  as  if  Mrs.  John  Westover 
had  everything  on  earth  given  to  her  that  could 
possibly  be  presented  at  a  wedding;  neverthe- 
less the  list  was  gone  through  again  bravely, 
Polly  retracing  her  steps  two  or  three  times  to 
read  the  items  over  for  her  listener's  slow 
digestion. 

"  The  Archibalds  are  not  mentioned,  either 
as  being  there  or  sending  a  gift,  nor  the  Har- 
lands,  nor  the  Smythes,  so  I  am  very  glad  I 
didn't  remember  her,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton, 
drawing  herself  up  with  a  relieved  sigh. 
"  Those  presents  sound  fine  on  paper,  but  it 
isn't  as  well  as  she  might  have  done  if  she  had 
made  a  different  match.  Now  something  else, 
Polly,"  and  she  dismissed  Mrs.  Westover  with 


206       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

a  careless  wave  of  her  hand.  Polly  flew  off 
into  the  fashion  hints,  and  was  immediately  lost 
in  the  whirl  of  coming  toilets.  No  one  noticed 
when  the  door  opened,  so  of  course  no  one 
saw  Mrs.  Whitney  standing  smiling  behind  the 
old  lady's  big  chair. 

"  Well,  Polly,"  said  a  pleasant  voice  sud- 
denly. 

Down  went  Town  Talk  to  the  floor  as  Polly 
sprang  up  with  a  glad  cry,  and  Mrs.  Chatterton 
turned  around  nervously. 

"  Oh,  Auntie  —  Auntie !  "  cried  Polly,  con- 
vulsively clinging  to  her,  "  are  you  really  here, 
and  is  Dicky  home  ?  " 

"  Dear  child,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney,  as  much  a 
girl  for  the  moment  as  Polly  herself.  And 
pressing  kisses  on  the  red  lips,  while  she  folded 
her  close  —  "  Yes,  Dick  is  at  home.  There,  go 
and  find  him;  he  is  in  Mrs.  Pepper's  room." 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  so  much  better,  Mrs. 
Chatterton,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney,  leaning  over 
the  invalid's  chair  to  lay  the  tenderest  of  palms 
on  the  hand  resting  on  the  chair-arm. 

"Oh,  yes,  Marian;  I  am  better,"  said  Mrs. 
Chatterton,    looking   around    for    Polly,    then 


NEW   WORK   FOR   POLLY 


207 


down  at  the  delicious  Tozvn  Talk  carelessly 
thrown  on  the  floor.  "  Will  you  send  her  back 
as  soon  as  possible?"  she  asked  with  her  old 
imperativeness. 

"Who  — Polly?"  said  Mrs.  Whitney,  fol- 
lowing the  glance.  "  Why,  she  has  gone  to  see 
Dick,  you  know.  Now,  why  cannot  I  read  a 
bit  ?  "  and  she  picked  up  the  paper. 

"  You  don't  know  what  has  been  read,"  said 
Mrs.  Chatterton  as  Mrs.  Whitney  drew  up  a 
chair  and  sat  down,  running  her  eye  in  a  prac- 
ticed way  over  the  front  page.  "  Dear  me, 
it  makes  me  quite  nervous,  Marian,  to  see  you 
prowling  around  all  over  the  sheet  that  way." 

"  Oh !  I  shall  find  something  interesting 
quite  soon,  I  fancy,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney  cheer- 
fully, her  heart  on  her  boy  and  the  jolly  home- 
coming he  was  having.  "  Here  is  the  Washing- 
ton news ;  I  mean  all  about  the  receptions  and 
teas." 

"  She  has  read  that,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton. 

"  Now  for  the  fashion  department."  Mrs. 
Whitney  whirled  the  paper  over  dexterously. 
"  Do  you  know,  Mrs.  Chatterton,  gray  stuffs 
are  to  be  worn  more  than  ever  this  spring?  " 


208       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  I  don't  care  about  that,"  said  Mrs.  Chatter- 
ton  quickly,  "  and  besides,  quite  likely  there'll 
be  a  complete  revolution  before  spring  really 
sets  in,  and  gray  stuffs  will  go  out.  Find  some 
description  of  tea  gowns,  can't  you?  I  must 
have  one  or  two  more." 

"  And  here  are  some  wonderfully  pretty 
caps,  if  they  are  all  like  the  descriptions,"  said 
Mrs.  Whitney,  unluckily  dropping  on  another 
paragraph. 

"  Caps !  who  wants  to  hear  about  them  ?  " 
cried  Mrs.  Chatterton  in  a  dudgeon.  "  I  hope 
I'm  not  at  the  cap  period  yet." 

"  Oh !  those  lovely  little  lace  arrangements," 
said  Mrs.  Whitney  hastily ;  "  don't  you  know 
how  exquisite  they  are  at  Pinaud's  ?  "  she  cried. 

"  I'm  sure  I  never  noticed,"  said  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton indifferently.  "  Hortense  always  ar- 
ranges my  hair  better  without  lace.  If  you 
can't  find  what  I  ask  you,  Marian,"  raising  her 
voice  to  a  higher  key,  "  you  needn't  trouble  to 
read  at  all." 

Fortunately  the  dscription  of  the  gown 
worn  by  Lady  Hartly  Cavendish  at  a  London 
high  tea,  stood  out  in  bold  relief,  as  Mrs.  Wrhit- 


NEW   WORK   FOR   POLLY 


209 


ney's  eyes  nervously  ran  over  the  columns 
again,  and  she  seized  upon  it. 

But  in  just  two  moments  she  was  inter- 
rupted. "  Send  that  girl  back  again,  Marian," 
cried  Mrs.  Chatterton.  "  I  had  just  got  her 
trained  so  that  she  suits  me.  It  tires  me  to 
death  to  hear  you." 

"  I  do  not  know  whether  Polly  can  come 
now,"  said  Mrs.   Whitney  gently;    "she"  — 

"Do  not  know  whether  Polly  can  come!" 
repeated  Mrs.  Chatterton  sharply,  and  leaning 
forward  in  her  chair.  "  Didn't  I  say  I  wanted 
her?" 

"  You  did."  Marian's  tone  did  not  lose  a 
note  of  its  ordinary  gentleness.  "  But  I  shall 
ask  her  if  she  is  willing  to  do  it  as  a  favor, 
Mrs.  Chatterton;  you  quite  understand  that,  of 
course  ?  "  She,  too,  leaned  forward  in  her  chair, 
and  gazed  into  the  cold,  hard  face. 

"  Just  like  your  father,"  cried  Mrs.  Chatter- 
ton, settling  herself  irascibly  back  in  the  chair- 
depths  again.  "  There  is  no  hope  that  affairs 
in  this  house  will  mend.  I  wash  my  hands  of 
you." 

"  I  am  so  glad  that  you  consider  me  like  my 


210       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

father,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney  gleefully  as  a  child. 
,"  We  surely  are  united  on  this  question." 

"May  I  read  some  more?"  cried  Polly, 
coming  in  softly,  and  trying  to  calm  the  im- 
petuous rush  of  delight  as  her  eyes  met  Mrs. 
Whitney's. 

"  Yes ;  I  am  waiting  for  you,"  said  Mrs. 
Chatterton.     "  Begin  where  you  left  off." 

Mrs.  Whitney  bit  her  pretty  lips  and  slipped 
out  of  her  chair,  just  pausing  a  moment  to  lay 
her  hand  on  the  young  shoulder  as  she  passed, 
and  a  world  of  comfort  fell  upon  Polly,  shut 
in  once  more  to  her  dreary  task. 

"  How  perfectly  splendid  that  I  didn't  go  to 
Silvia  Home's  luncheon  party  now !  "  cried 
Polly's  heart  over  and  over  between  the  lines. 
"  If  I  had,  I  should  have  missed  dear  Auntie's 
home-coming,  and  Dicky's."  She  glanced  up 
with  luminous  eyes  as  she  whirled  the  sheet. 
Mrs.  Chatterton,  astonishing  as  it  may  seem, 
was  actually  smiling. 

"  It's  some  comfort  to  hear  you  read,"  she 
observed  with  a  sigh  of  enjoyment,  "  because 
you  enjoy  it  yourself.  I  wouldn't  give  a  fig  for 
anybody  to  try  to  do  it." 


NEW   WORK  FOR   POLLY  21 1 

Polly  felt  like  a  guilty  little  thing  to  take 
this  quietly,  and  she  eased  her  conscience  by 
being  more  glad  that  she  was  in  that  very  room 
doing  that  very  task.  And  so  the  moments 
sped  on. 

Outside,  Dick  was  holding  high  revel  as 
every  one  revolved  around  him,  the  hero  of  the 
coasting  accident,  till  the  boy  ran  considerable 
danger  from  all  the  attention  he  was  receiving. 
But  one  glance  and  a  smile  from  Mrs.  Whitney 
brought  him  back  to  himself. 

"  Don't  talk  any  more  about  it,"  he  cried  a 
trifle  impatiently.  "  I  was  a  muff  to  stick  on, 
when  I  knew  we  were  going  over.  Mamma, 
won't  you  stop  them  ?  " 

And  she  did. 

"  Do  you  know,  Dicky  and  I  have  a  secret  to 
tell  all  of  you  good  people."  The  color  flew 
into  her  soft  cheek,  and  her  eyes  beamed. 

"  Really,  Marian,"  said  her  father,  whose 
hand  had  scarcely  ceased  patting  Dick's  brown 
head  since  the  boy's  home-coming,  "  you've 
grown  young  in  Badgertown.  I  never  saw  you 
look  so  well  as  you  do  to-day." 

Mrs.  Whitney  laughed  and  tossed  him  a  gay 


212       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

little  smile,  that  carried  him  back  to  the  days 
when  Marian  King  stood  before  him  looking 
just  so. 

"  Now  listen,  father,  and  all  you  good  people, 
to  my  secret  —  Dicky's  and  mine ;  we  are  al- 
lowed to  tell  it  now.  Papa  Whitney  sailed  in 
the  Servia,  and  he  ought  to  be  in  to-day !  " 

A  shout  of  joy  greeted  her  announcement. 
Polly,  off  in  her  prison,  could  hear  the  merry 
sounds,  and  her  happy  heart  echoed  them. 
The  misery  of  the  past  week  when  she  had 
been  bearing  an  unatoned  fault,  seemed  to 
drop  away  from  her  as  she  listened,  and  to 
say,  "  Life  holds  sunshine  yet." 

Then  a  hush  dropped  upon  the  gay  uproar. 
She  did  not  know  that  Dicky  was  proclaiming 
"  Yes,  and  he  is  never,  never  going  back  again. 
That  is,  unless  he  takes  mamma  and  me,  you 
know." 

Mrs.  Chatterton  turned  suddenly  upon  the 
young  figure. 

"  Do  go !  "  She  tossed  an  imperative  com- 
mand with  her  jeweled  fingers.  "  You  have 
ceased  to  be  amusing  since  your  interest  is  all 
in  the  other  room  with  that  boy." 


NEW   WORK  FOR   POLLY  213 

Polly  dashed  the  newspaper  to  the  floor,  and 
rushing  impulsively  across  the  room,  threw  her- 
self, with  no  thought  for  the  consequences,  on 
her  knees  at  Mrs.  Chatterton's  chair. 

"  Oh-oh !  "  she  cried,  the  color  flying  up  to 
the  brown  waves  on  her  temples,  "  don't  send 
me  off;  then  I  shall  know  you  never  will  for- 
give me." 

"  Get  up,  do !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Chatterton, 
in  disgust ;  "  you  are  crushing  my  gown,  and 
besides  I  hate  scenes." 

But  Polly  held  resolutely  to  the  chair-arm, 
and  never  took  her  brown  eyes  from  the  cold 
face. 

"  I  must  say,  Polly  Pepper,"  cried  Mrs. 
Chatterton  with  rising  anger,  "  you  are  the 
most  disagreeable  girl  that  I  ever  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  meet.  I,  for  one,  will  not  put  up 
with  your  constant  ebullitions  of  temper.  Go 
out  of  this  room !  " 

Polly  rose  slowly  and  drew  herself  up  with 
something  so  new  in  face  and  manner,  that  the 
old  lady  instinctively  put  up  her  eyeglass  and 
gazed  curiously  through  it,  as  one  would  look 
at  a  strange  animal. 


214       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  Humph !  "  she  said  slowly  at  last,  "  well, 
what  do  you  want  to  say  ?  Speak  out,  and  then 
go." 

"  Nothing,"  said  Polly  in  a  low  voice,  but 
quite  distinctly,  "  only  I  shall  not  trouble  you 
again,  Mrs.  Chatterton."  And  as  the  last 
words  were  spoken,  she  was  out  of  the 
room. 

"  Pretty  doings  these !  "  Mr.  King,  by  a  dex- 
terous movement,  succeeded  in  slipping  back  of 
the  portiere  folds  into  the  little  writing-room, 
as  Polly  rushed  out  through  the  other  door- 
way into  the  hall.  "  A  fortunate  thing  it  was 
that  I  left  Dick,  to  see  what  had  become  of 
Polly.  Now,  Cousin  Eunice,  you  move  from 
my  house ! "  and  descending  the  stairs,  he 
called  determinedly,  "  Polly,  Polly,  child !  " 

Polly,  off  in  her  own  room  now,  heard  him, 
and  for  the  first  time  in  her  life,  wished  she 
need  not  answer. 

"Polly  —  Polly !  "  the  determined  call  rang 
down  the  passage,  causing  her  to  run  fast  with 
a  "  Yes,  Grandpapa,  I'm  coming." 

"  Now,  I  should  just  like  to  inquire,"  began 
Mr.  King,  taking  her  by  her  two  young  shoul- 


NEW   WORK   FOR   POLLY  .     215 

ders  and  looking  down  into  the  flushed  face, 
"  what  she  has  been  saying  to  you." 

"  Oh,  Grandpapa ! "  down  went  Polly's 
brown  head,  "  don't  make  me  tell.  Please 
don't,  Grandpapa." 

"I  shall!"  declared  Mr.  King;  "every 
blessed  word.     Now  begin !  " 

"  She  —  she  wanted  me  to  go  out  of  the 
room,"  said  Polly,  in  a  reluctant  gasp. 

"  Indeed !  "  snorted  Mr.  King.  "  Well,  she 
will  soon  go  out  of  that  room.  Indeed,  I  might 
say,  out  of  the  house." 

"  Oh,  Grandpapa !  "  exclaimed  Polly,  in 
great  distress,  and  raising  the  brown  eyes  — 
he  was  dismayed  to  find  them  filling  with 
tears  —  "  don't,  don't  send  her  away !  It  is  all 
my  fault;    indeed  it  is,  Grandpapa!" 

"  Your  fault,"  cried  Mr.  King  irately ;  "  you 
must  not  say  such  things,  child;  that's  silly; 
you  don't  know  the  woman." 

"  Grandpapa,"  cried  Polly,  holding  back  the 
storm  of  tears  to  get  the  words  out,  "  I  never 
told  you  —  I  couldn't  —  but  I  said  perfectly 
dreadful  words  to  her  a  week  ago.  Oh,  Grand- 
papa!    I  did,  truly." 


2l6    .   FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  That's  right,"  said  the  old  gentleman  in  a 
pleased  tone.  "  What  were  they,  pray  tell  ? 
Let  us  know." 

"  Oh,  Grandpapa,  don't ! "  begged  Polly, 
with  a  shiver;   "  I  want  to  forget  them." 

"If  you  would  only  follow  them  up  with 
more,"  said  Mr.  King  meditatively ;  "  when  it 
comes  to  tears,  she  must  march,  you  know." 

"  I  won't  cry,"  said  Polly,  swallowing  the 
lump  in  her  throat,  "  if  you  will  only  let  her 
stay." 

She  turned  to  him  such  a  distressed  and 
white  face  that  Mr.  King  stood  perplexedly 
looking  down  at  her,  having  nothing  to  say. 

"  I'm  tired  of  her,"  at  last  he  said ;  "  we  are 
all  tired  of  her;  she  has  about  worn  us  out." 

"  Grandpapa,"  cried  Polly,  seeing  her  advan- 
tage in  his  hesitation,  "  if  you  will  only  let  her 
stay,  I  will  never  beg  you  for  anything  again." 

"  Well,  then  she  goes,"  cried  Mr.  King 
shortly.  "  Goodness  me,  Polly,  if  you  are 
going  to  stop  asking  favors,  Cousin  Eunice 
marches  instanter !  " 

"  Oh !  I'll  beg  and  tease  for  ever  so  many 
things,"  cried  Polly  radiantly,  her  color  coming 


NEW   WORK   FOR    POLLY 


217 


back.  "  Will  you  let  her  stay,  Grandpapa  — 
will  you  ?  "  She  clasped  his  arm  tightly  and 
would  not  let  him  go. 

"  Well,"  said  Mr.  King  slowly,  "  I'll  think 
about  it,  Polly." 

"Will  you?"  cried  Polly.  "Dear  Grand- 
papa, please  say  yes." 

Mr.  King  drew  a  long  breath.  "  Yes,"  he 
said  at  last. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

A  PIECE  OF  NEWS. 

"  /~"*OLLECT  the  whole  bunch  of  Peppers 

^—'  and  send  them  into  my  writing-room, 
Marian."  Old  Mr.  King  mounting  the  stairs, 
turned  to  see  that  his  command  was  heard, 

"  You  want  Mother  Pepper  too,  I  presume?  " 
said  Mrs.  Whitney,  pausing  at  the  foot. 

"  Mother  Pepper  ?  No,  indeed ;  the  last  per- 
son in  the  world  I  wish  to  see,"  cried  her  father 
irritably.  "  The  bunch  of  Pepper  children,  I 
want,  and  at  once;  see  that  they  all  report  to 
me  directly."  With  that  he  redoubled  his 
efforts  and  was  soon  at  the  top  of  the  long 
oaken  steps. 

Polly  and  Ben  closely  followed  by  Joel, 
David  and  Phronsie  soon  rushed  over  the  same 
ascending  thoroughfare,  and  presented  them- 
218 


A   PIECE   OF   NEWS  219 

selves,  flushed  and  panting,  at  the  writing-room 
door. 

"  Come  in,"  called  Mr.  King  from  within. 

"  Here  we  are,  sir,"  said  Ben,  spokesman  by 
virtue  of  being  the  eldest. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  Mr.  King  nervously,  and 
turning  away  from  some  papers  he  was  fumb- 
ling to  occupy  the  waiting  moments.  "  Well, 
do  sit  down,  all  of  you.  I  sent  for  you  to  have 
a  talk  about  something  that  you  —  that  you  — 
well,  do  sit  down." 

So  all  the  Peppers  deposited  themselves  in 
various  resting-places;  all  but  Joel.  He  im- 
mediately marched  up  to  the  old  gentleman's 
chair. 

"  If  it's  good  news,"  he  said  abruptly, 
"  please  let  us  have  it  right  this  minute.  But 
if  it's  bad,  why,"  a  gathering  alarm  stole  over 
his  chubby  countenance,  as  he  scanned  the  face 
before  him,  "  I'm  going  out-doors." 

"  It's  good  or  bad  news  according  as  you 
take  it,"  said  the  old  gentleman.  "  It  ought  to 
be  good.  But  there,"  pushing  back  his  chair  to 
look  at  the  row  of  anxious  figures  the  other 
side    of    the   table,    "  do    sit    down   with   the 


220       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

rest,  Joe,  and  stop  staring  me  out  of  coun- 
tenance." 

Polly  at  that,  pushed  a  chair  over  toward 
Joel,  who  persuading  himself  into  it,  sat  uncom- 
fortably perched  on  its  edge,  where  he  stared 
harder  than  ever. 

"  Hum !  well,  children,  now  you  are  all  re- 
markably sensible  boys  and  girls.  Re-mar- 
kably  sensible.  I've  always  said  so,  and  I  see 
no  reason  to  change  my  opinion  of  you  now. 
And  so,  although  at  first  my  news  may  not  be 
quite  to  your  liking,  why,  you'll  quickly  make 
it  so,  and  be  very  happy  about  it  in  the  end. 
Hem !  well,  did  you  ever  think  that  —  that 
your  mother  might  possibly  marry  again?  " 

The  last  words  were  brought  out  so  abruptly, 
that  to  the  five  pairs  of  ears  strained  to  catch 
their  import,  it  seemed  as  if  the  news  had  shot 
by  harmlessly.  But  after  a  breathing  space  the 
dreadful  "marry,"  and  "your  mother,"  came 
back  to  them,  bringing  the  several  owners  of  the 
ears  out  of  their  chairs  at  one  bound. 

"  Our  mother !  "      Ben  hoarsely  exclaimed. 

"  Oh !  how  can  you  ?  "  cried  Polly  passion- 
ately, a  little  white  line  showing  around  her 


A   PIECE   OF   NEWS  22I 

mouth,  "  say  such  perfectly  dreadful  things, 
sir!" 

Phronsie  clasped  her  hands  in  silent  terror, 
and  raised  big  eyes  to  his  face.  David  be- 
gan to  walk  helplessly  down  the  apartment. 
"  See  here!  "  said  Joel,  turning  to  the  others, 
"  wait  a  minute,  and  hold  on.  Perhaps  it's  you, 
sir,"  whirling  back  to  question  with  piercing 
eyes,  the  old  gentleman,  "  who's  going  to  marry 
our  mother.    Then  it's  all  right !  " 

"  Me !  "  roared  the  old  gentleman.  "  Oh ! 
bless  my  soul,  what  should  I  want  to  marry  for 
at  my  time  of  life?    Oh!  my  goodness  me." 

His  distress  was  now  so  frightful  to  see,  that 
it  brought  the  Peppers  in  a  measure  out  of 
theirs ;  and  they  began  at  once  to  endeavor  to 
soothe  him. 

"  Don't  —  oh !  don't,"  they  cried,  and  a  com- 
mon trouble  overwhelming  them,  they  rushed 
around  the  table,  seized  his  hands,  and  patted 
his  shoulders  and  hair.  "  Oh !  this  is  very 
dreadful,"  gasped  Polly,  "  but  don't  you  feel 
badly,  dear,  dear  Grandpapa." 

"  I  should  think  it  was,"  said  Mr.  King. 
"  Phronsie,  here,  child,  get  into  my  lap.     I'll 


222       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

come  to  myself  then.  There,  now,  that's  some- 
thing like,"  as  Phronsie,  with  a  low  cry,  hopped 
into  her  usual  nest.  "  Now  perhaps  I  can  com- 
municate the  rest  of  my  news,  when  I  get  my 
breath." 

The  Peppers  held  theirs,  and  he  began  once 
more.  "  Now,  children,  it  isn't  in  the  course 
of  nature  for  such  a  fine  bright  woman  as 
your  mother  to  remain  single  the  rest  of  her 
life;  somebody  would  be  sure  to  come  and 
carry  her  off.  I'm  glad  it's  to  be  in  my  life- 
time, for  now  I  can  be  easy  in  my  mind,  and 
feel  that  you  have  a  protector  when  I  am  gone. 
There,  there,  we  won't  talk  about  that,"  as  the 
young  faces  turned  dark  with  sudden  pain, 
while  Joel  rushed  convulsively  to  the  window, 
"  you  can  see  how  I  feel  about  it." 

"  Are  you  glad  ?  "  cried  Ben  hoarsely.  Polly 
for  her  life  could  not  speak.  The  whole  world 
seemed  turning  round,  and  sinking  beneath 
her  feet. 

"  Yes,  I  am,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  "  and 
it  won't  alter  the  existing  state  of  things,  for 
he  will  live  here  with  us,  and  things  will  be 
just  the  same,  if  only  you  children  will  take 


A   PIECE   OF   NEWS  223 

it  rightly.  But  I've  no  doubt  you  will  in  the 
end ;  no  doubt  at  all,"  he  added,  brightening 
up,  "  for  you  are  very  sensible  young  people. 
I've  always  said  so." 

"  Who  is  he?  "  The  dreadful  question  trem- 
bled on  all  the  lips ;  but  no  one  asked  it.  See- 
ing this,  Mr.  King  broke  out,  "  Well,  now  of 
course  you  want  to  know  who  is  going  to 
marry  your  mother,  that  is,  if  you  are  willing. 
For  she  won't  have  him  unless  you  are  to  be 
happy  about  it.  Would  you  like  Dr.  Fisher  for 
a  father?" 

Joel  broke  away  from  the  window  with  a 
howl,  while  Polly  tumultuously  threw  herself 
within  the  kind  arms  encircling  Phronsie. 

"  Next  to  you,"  cried  the  boy,  "  why,  he's  a 
brick,  Dr.  Fisher  is !  " 

"  Why  didn't  you  tell  us  before  that  it  was 
he?"  sobbed  Polly,  with  joyful  tears  running 
over  her  face.  Davie,  coming  out  of  his 
gloomy  walk,  turned  a  happy  face  towards 
the  old  man's  chair,  while  Ben  said  something 
to  himself  that  sounded  like  "  Thank  God!  " 

Phronsie  alone  remained  unmoved.    "  What 


224       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

is  Dr.  Fisher  going  to  do  ?  "  she  asked  pres- 
ently, amid  the  chatter  that  now  broke  forth. 

"  He's  going  to  live  here,"  said  old  Mr. 
King,  looking  down  at  her,  and  smoothing  her 
yellow  hair.     "  Won't  that  be  nice,  Phronsie  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Phronsie,  "  it  will.  And  he'll 
bring  his  funny  old  gig,  won't  he,  and  I'll  drive 
sometimes,  I  suppose  ?  "  she  added  with  great 
satisfaction. 

"Yes;  you  will,"  said  the  old  gentleman, 
winking  furiously  to  keep  back  the  excited  flow 
of  information  that  now  threatened  the  child. 
"  Well,  Phronsie,  you  love  Dr.  Fisher,  don't 
you?" 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  said  the  child,  folding  her 
hands  in  her  lap,  "  love  him  very  much  indeed." 

"  Well,  he's  going  to  be  your  father,"  com- 
municated Mr.  King,  cautiously  watching  her 
face  at  each  syllable. 

"  Oh,  no !  "  cried  Phronsie,  "  he  couldn't  be ; 
he's  Dr.  Fisher."  She  laughed  softly  at  the 
idea.  "  Why,  Grandpapa,  he  couldn't  be  my 
father." 

"  Listen,  Phronsie,"  and  Mr.  King  took  both 
her  hands  in  his,  "  and  I'll  tell  you  about  it, 


A   PIECE   OF   NEWS 


225 


so  that  you  will  understand.  Dr.  Fisher  loves 
your  mother ;  he  has  loved  her  for  many  years 
—  all  those  years  when  she  was  struggling  on 
in  the  little  brown  house.  But  he  couldn't  tell 
her  so,  because  he  had  others  depending  on 
him  for  support.  They  don't  need  him  now, 
and  as  soon  as  he  is  free,  he  comes  and  tells 
your  mother  and  me,  like  a  noble  good  man  as 
he  is,  all  about  it.  He's  a  gentleman,  children," 
he  declared,  turning  to  the  others,  "  and  you 
will  be  glad  to  call  him  father." 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean,"  said  Phron- 
sie,  with  puzzled  eyes.  "  Dear  Grandpapa, 
please  tell  me." 

"  Why,  he  is  going  to  marry  your  mother, 
child,  and  we  are  all  to  live  here  together  just 
the  same,  and  everything  is  going  to  be  just 
as  happy  as  possible." 

Phronsie  gave  a  sharp  and  sudden  cry  of 
distress.  "  But  Mamsie,  my  Mamsie  will  be 
gone !  "  and  then  she  hid  her  face  in  the  old 
gentleman's  breast. 

"  O  dear,  dear!  get  a  glass  of  water,  Polly," 
cried  Mr.  King.  "  One  of  you  run  and  open 
the  window.    Phronsie,  Phronsie — there,  child, 


226       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

look  up  and  let  me  tell  you."  But  Phronsie 
burrowed  yet  deeper  in  the  protecting  nest, 
regardless  of  his  spotless  linen. 

"Polly,  speak  to  her,"  he  cried  in  despair; 
"  where  is  she?  gone  for  the  water?  O  dear! 
Here,  Ben,  you  try.  Dear,  dear,  what  a  blun- 
derer I  am." 

"  Phronsie,"  said  Ben,  leaning  over  the  shak- 
ing figure,  "  you  are  making  Grandpapa  sick." 

Up  came  Phronsie's  yellow  head.  "  Oh, 
Grandpapa ! "  she  wailed,  putting  out  an  un- 
steady little  hand,  "  I  didn't  mean  to,  dear 
Grandpapa,  only  —  only  Mamsie  will  be  gone 
now." 

"  Bless  your  heart,  you'll  have  Mamsie  more 
than  ever,"  cried  Mr.  King  heartily.  "  Here, 
you  children,  tell  her.  Polly,  we  don't  want 
the  water  now,  she's  come  to,"  as  Polly  came 
rushing  in  with  a  glassful.  "  Make  her  un- 
derstand ;  I  can't." 

So  Polly,  setting  down  her  glass,  the  others 
crowding  around,  took  up  the  task  of  making 
the  piece  of  news  as  delightful  as  possible,  and 
presently  Phronsie  came  out  of  her  despair,  to 
ask  questions. 


A   PIECE   OF   NEWS  22.7 

"  Are  you  really  and  truly  very  glad,  Polly  ?  " 
she  asked  at  last,  in  a  lull. 

"  Really  and  truly  I  am  so  glad  I  don't 
know  what  to  do,"  said  Polly,  kneeling  down 
by  the  chair-side.  "  Don't  you  see  we  are  so 
much  the  richer,  Phronsie?  We  have  lost 
nothing,  and  we  gain  Dr.  Fisher.  Dear  splen- 
did Dr.  Fisher !  " 

"  You've  always  wanted  to  repay  Dr.  Fisher 
for  his  kindness,"  said  Mr.  King,  "  and  now's 
your  chance,  Polly." 

"  I  guess  he'll  get  his  pay  back  for  his  stove," 
cried  Joel  in  a  burst ;  "  Polly  will  wait  on  him, 
and  kill  herself  doing  things  for  him." 

"  And  for  your  new  eyes,"  sang  Phronsie  in 
a  pleased  way.  "  Oh,  Polly !  "  She  jumped 
out  of  the  old  gentleman's  lap,  and  began  to 
dance  around  the  room,  softly  clapping  her 
hands  and  exclaiming,  "  Oh,  Polly !  " 

"  Well,  now,  children,"  said  Mr.  King,  as 
the  excitement  ran  low,  "  you  just  run  and  tell 
your  mother,  every  one  of  you,  how  happy  she 
will  make  you  by  bringing  Dr.  Fisher  here  as 
your  father.     Scamper,  now !  " 

No  need  to  urge  them.     On  the  wings  of 


228       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

the  wind  ran  the  five  Peppers  up  into  Mamsie's 
own  room.  Mrs.  Pepper  for  once  turning  aside 
from  the  claim  of  her  pressing  duties,  was 
standing  by  the  work  table.  Here  stood  the 
mending  basket  before  her,  piled  to  the  brim 
with  the  weekly  installment  of  stockings  big 
and  little,  clamoring  for  attention.  But  the 
usually  busy  needle  lay  idle,  and  the  busier 
hands  were  folded,  as  the  mother-heart  went 
over  the  words  she  knew  were  being  rehearsed 
downstairs  by  the  kind  friend  who  had  made 
a  home  for  them.  He  was  pleading  her  cause 
with  her  children. 

"  They  shall  be  happy,  anyway,"  she  said 
softly  to  herself,  "  bless  their  hearts !  "  as  they 
burst  in. 

"  Mother,"  said  Ben  —  How  the  boy's  cheek 
glowed !  And  what  a  world  of  joy  rang  in  the 
usually  quiet  tones !  —  "we  want  to  thank  you 
for  giving  us  Dr.  Fisher  for  a  father." 

"  Mamsie,"  Polly  hid  her  happy  face  on  the 
dear  neck,  "  I've  always  loved  him,  you  know ; 
oh!   I'm  so  glad." 

Joel  whooped  out  something  incoherent,  but 


A   PIECE   OF   NEWS 


229 


his  face  told  the  words,  while  Davie  clasped 
one  of  the  firm,  closely  folded  hands. 

"If  you'll  take  me  in  your  lap  as  much  as 
ever,"  said  Phronsie  deliberately,  and  patting 
the  other  hand,  "  why,  I  shall  be  really  and 
truly  glad,  Mamsie." 

"  Bless  your  dear  heart !  "  cried  Mother  Pep- 
per, clasping  her  tightly,  "  and  you  children, 
all  of  you,"  and  she  drew  them  all  within  her 
arms.  "  Now  I  want  you  to  understand,  once 
for  all,  that  it  isn't  to  be  unless  you  all  wish 
it.  You  are  sure  Mr.  King  hasn't  persuaded 
you  to  like  it  ?  " 

"  Look  at  us,"  cried  Ben,  throwing  back 
his  head  to  see  her  eyes.  "  Do  we  act  as  if  we 
had  been  talked  over  ?  " 

At  that,  Polly  burst  into  a  merry  laugh; 
and  the  others  joining,  Mother  Pepper  laugh- 
ing as  heartily  as  the  rest,  the  big  room  became 
the  j oiliest  place  imaginable. 

"  No,  I  don't  really  think  you  do,"  said  Mrs. 
Pepper,  wiping  her  eyes. 

"  Dear  me !  "  cried  Jasper,  putting  his  head 
in  the  doorway,  "  what  good  fun  is  going  on  ? 
I'm  not  going  to  be  left  out." 


230 


FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


"  Come  in,  Jasper,"  they  all  called. 

"  And  we've  a  piece  of  news  that  will  make 
your  hair  stand  on  end,"  said  Joel  gayly. 

"  Joe,  don't  announce  it  so,"  cried  Polly  in 
dismay,  who  dearly  enjoyed  being  elegant. 
"  Ben  must  tell  it;  he  is  the  oldest." 

"No,  no;   let  Polly,"  protested  Ben. 

"  Polly  shall,"  said  Jasper,  hurrying  in  to 
stand  the  picture  of  patience  before  the  group. 
"  Hurry,  do,  for  I  must  say  my  curiosity  is 
hard  to  keep  within  bounds." 

So  Polly  was  gently  pushed  into  the  center 
of  the  circle.  "  Go  on,"  said  Joel,  "  and  hurry 
up,  or  I  shall  tell  myself." 

"Jasper,"  said  Polly,  her  breath  coming 
fast,  "  oh !  you  can't  think ;  we  are  so  glad  " — 
But  she  got  no  further,  for  Phronsie,  rushing 
out  of  Mother  Pepper's  arms,  piped  out  sud- 
denly : 

"  Dr.  Fisher  is  coming  here  to  live  always 
and  forever,  and  I'm  going  to  ride  in  his  gig, 
and  Mamsie  likes  him,  and  I'm  going  to  call 
him  father ;    now,  Jasper,  I  told  you !  " 

"  I  should  think  you  did,"  exclaimed  Ben. 

"  Whew !  "  cried  Jasper,  "  that  is  a  piece  of 


MAMSIE'S   WEDDING 


231 


news  all  in  one  breath.  Well,  Mrs.  Pepper, 
I'm  glad  of  it,  too.  I  congratulate  you."  With 
that,  he  marched  up  to  her,  Phronsie  hanging 
to  his  arm,  and  shook  her  hand  heartily. 

And  in  two  days  everybody  in  the  King  set 
knew  that  the  mother  of  the  five  little  Peppers 
was  going  to  be  married. 

"  I  should  think  you'd  want  to  be  condoled 
with,  Ben,"  said  Pickering  Dodge,  clapping 
him  on  the  shoulder  as  he  rushed  down  the 
aisle  of  the  store  occupied  by  Cabot  &  Van 
Meter. 

"  Halloo  1"  said  Ben,  "can't  stop,"  rushing 
past. 

"  I  suppose  not,"  said  Pickering  carelessly, 
and  striding  after,  "  so  I'll  whisper  my  gen- 
tle congratulations  in  your  ear  *  on  the  wing.' 
But  I'm  awfully  sorry  for  you,  Ben,"  he  added, 
as  he  came  up  to  him. 

"  You  needn't  be,"  said  Ben  brightly,  "  we 
are  all  as  glad  as  can  be." 

"  Sweet  innocent,  you  don't  know  a  step- 
father," said  Pickering  lugubriously. 

"  I  know  Dr.  Fisher,"  said  Ben,  "  that's 
enough." 


2$2 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


"  Well,  when  you  want  comfort,  come  to 
me,"  said  Pickering,  "or  your  uncle!" 

"  Don't  you  fill  Ben's  ears  with  your  foolish- 
ness," said  the  Senior  Partner,  coming  out  of 
the  counting-room.  "  Take  yourself  off,  Pick- 
ering;  you're  hindering  Ben." 

Pickering  laughed.  "  I'm  caught  in  the  very 
act.  Now,  Ben,  remember  I'm  your  .  friend 
when  you  get  into  trouble  with  your  dear  pa. 
Good-by,  Uncle,"  with  a  bright  nod,  and  a  lazy 
shake  of  his  long  figure.  "  Trade  always  de- 
moralizes me.  I'll  get  back  to  my  books,"  and 
he  vanished  as  quickly  as  he  came. 

"  Back  to  your  books,"  said  his  uncle  grimly, 
"  hum,  I  wish  you  would.  See  here,  Ben,"  he 
put  a  controlling  hand  on  the  boy's  shoulder, 
"  one  word  with  you,"  marching  him  into  the 
private  office  of  the  firm.  "  Don't  you  follow 
Pickering  too  closely,  my  boy,"  he  said 
abruptly ;  "  he's  a  good  lad  in  the  main,  but 
if  he  is  my  nephew,  I  must  give  you  warn- 
ing.    He's  losing  ground." 

Ben  lifted  his  head  in  sudden  alarm.  "  Oh! 
I  hope  not,  sir,"  he  said. 

"  It's  a  fact.     Master  Nelson  says  he  could 


MAMSIE'S   WEDDING 


233 


be  first  scholar  in  the  grammar,  but  for  the 
last  six  months  he's  failed  steadily.  There's 
no  particular  reason,  only  ambition's  gone. 
And  when  you  say  that,  you  mean  there's  a 
general  collapse  of  all  my  hopes  concerning 
him." 

"  Oh !  no,  sir,"  Ben  kept  on  protesting,  his 
ruddy  cheek  losing  its  color.  "  He'll  take  hold 
by  and  by  and  give  a  pull  at  his  books  again." 

"  It  isn't  a  pull  now  and  then  that  gets  a 
man  up  hill,"  observed  Mr.  Cabot,  leaning  back 
in  his  revolving  chair  to  look  into  the  blue  eyes, 
"  that  you  know  as  well  as  I.  Now,  Ben,  I'm 
not  going  to  see  you  throw  away  your  pros- 
pects, too.  Don't  let  him  influence  you  in  the 
wrong  way.  He's  bright  and  attractive,  but 
don't  pay  attention  to  his  ridicule  of  good 
things." 

"  I've  a  mother,"  said  Ben  proudly,  "  and 
I  don't  believe  any  boy  could  say  much  to  me, 
that  I'd  think  of  twice,  if  she  didn't  like  it." 

"  You  always  tell  her  everything,  do  you, 
Ben  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Cabot  with  a  curious  glance. 

"  I  should  think  so,  sir,"  said  Ben,  with  a 
short  laugh. 


234 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


"  You'll  do,  then,"  said  Mr.  Cabot,  bringing 
his  palm  down  on  a  pile  of  unread  letters 
awaiting  him.  "  Go  ahead.  I  don't  promise 
anything,  but  I  will  say  this.  If  you  work 
on  as  you  have  done  these  two  years  since 
you  came  in  here  as  errand  boy,  Ben,  I'll  make 
you  a  power  in  the  house.  Understand  I  don't 
expect  you  to  do  brilliant  things;  that  isn't 
in  your  line.  You  will  be  a  success  only  as 
a  steady,  faithful  worker.  But  keep  at  it,  and 
hang  on  to  Cabot  &  Van  Meter,  and  we'll  hang 
on  to  you." 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

mamsie's  wedding. 

"  "DOLLY,"  said  Dr.   Fisher,  coming  sud- 

-*•  denly  out  of  a  corner  of  the  library  as 
she  ran  around  the  portiere  folds,  "  you  are 
sure  you  are  willing  —  are  willing  it  should 
go  on  ?  " 

The  little  man  peered  at  her  anxiously 
through  his  big  glasses,  and  he  looked  so 
exactly  as  he  did  on  that  morning  so  long  ago 
when  Polly's  eyes  were  at  their  worst,  that  she 
could  do  nothing  but  gaze  speechlessly  into  his 
face. 

"  I  see  you  don't  consider  it  quite  best, 
child,"  said  the  little  doctor  brokenly,  "  but 
you  are  trying  with  your  good  heart,  to  make 
it  so.  Don't  be  afraid;  it  is  not  too  late  to 
end  it  all." 

"  I  was  thinking,"  cried  Polly  with  a  gasp, 
235 


236       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  how  good  you  were  to  me,  when  you  saved 
my  eyes,  and  how  you  kept  Joel  from  dying 
of  the  measles.  Oh !  I  couldn't  speak  —  but 
I  love  you  so." 

She  threw  her  young  arms  around  him. 
"  Papa  Fisher  —  for  you  are  almost  my  father 
now  —  I  am  the  very,  very  happiest  girl  be- 
cause you  are  going  to  live  here,  and  now  I 
can  show  you  just  how  much  I  really  and 
truly  love  you." 

The  little  man  beamed  at  her.  Then  he  took 
off  his  spectacles,  wiped  them,  and  clapped 
them  into  place  again.  "  You  see,  Polly," 
he  said  deliberately,  "  it  was  impossible  to  see 
your  mother  and  not  love  her.  She  has  had 
—  well,  there,  child,  I  cannot  bear  to  talk  about 
it,"  and  he  walked  to  the  window,  blew  his 
nose  violently  on  an  immense  pocket-hand- 
kerchief, leaving  the  words  poised  in  mid-air. 

"  It  was  the  greatest  trial  of  my  life  that  I 
couldn't  show  her  then  when  she  was  strug- 
gling so  bravely  to  keep  the  wolf  from  the 
door,  how  I  felt.  But  my  hands  were  tied, 
child,"  he  added,  coming  back,  his  usual  self 
again.    "  Now  I  can  make  her,  she  says,  happy, 


MAMSIE'S   WEDDING  237 

that  is,  if  you  children  like  it.  Just  think, 
Polly,  she  said  happy!  It's  stupendous,  but 
she  said  so,  Polly,  she  really  did !  " 

He  folded  his  hands  and  looked  at  her  in 
astonishment,  behind  which  shone  an  intense 
gratification,  that  lighted  up  his  plain  little 
face  till  he  seemed  to  grow  young  every 
instant. 

"  Indeed  she  did !  "  repeated  Polly  like  a  bird, 
and  laughing  merrily.  "  Oh,  Papa  Fisher !  you 
ought  to  hear  Mamsie  sing.  She  doesn't  know 
I'm  hearing  her,  but  she  sings  at  her  work 
now." 

"  Does  she  ?  "  cried  the  doctor  radiantly. 
"  Well,  Polly,  we  must  see  that  she  sings  every 
day,  after  this." 

"  Yes,  let  us,"  cried  Polly,  clasping  his  hand ; 
"  we  will." 

"  And,"  proceeded  the  doctor,  "  after  the 
wedding  is  over  —  I  really  dread  the  wedding, 
Polly  —  but  after  that  is  over,  I  do  believe 
we  shall  all  be  comfortable  together !  " 

Polly  gave  a  little  cry  of  delight.  Then  she 
said,  "  You  needn't  dread  the  wedding  one  bit, 
Papa  Fisher.     There  will  be  only  the  people 


238       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

that  we  love,  and  who  love  us  — -  Grandpapa 
promised  that." 

"  But  that  will  make  it  very  big,"  said  Dr. 
Fisher,  with  round  eyes  and  a  small  shiver  he 
could  not  suppress. 

"  Oh,  no !  "  said  Polly  cheerily,  "  sixty-five 
friends ;  that's  all  we  are  going  to  ask ;  Mam- 
sie  and  I  made  out  the  list  last  night." 

"  Sixty- five  people !  "  exclaimed  Dr.  Fisher 
in  dismay.  "  Oh !  isn't  it  possible  to  be  mar- 
ried without  sixty- five  friends  to  stare  at  you?  " 

"Oh!  that's  not  many,"  said  Polly;  "sixty- 
five  is  the  very  smallest  number  that  we  could 
manage.  We've  been  over  the  list  ever  so 
many  times,  and  struck  out  quantities  of  names. 
You  see,  everybody  loves  Mamsie,  and  they'll 
want  to  see  her  married." 

"  I  know  —  I  know,"  assented  the  doctor, 
"  but  that  makes  one  hundred  and  thirty  eyes. 
Did  you  ever  think  of  that,  Polly?  " 

Polly  burst  into  such  a  laugh  that  Jasper 
popped  in,  and  after  him,  Phronsie,  and  a  gen- 
eral hilarity  now  reigning,  the  dreaded  wed- 
ding preparations  soon  sank  away  from  the 
doctor's  perturbed  vision. 


MAMSIE'S   WEDDING 


239 


But  they  went  on  merrily  nevertheless.  All 
over  the  old  stone  mansion  there  were  hints 
of  the  on-coming  festivities;  and  though  all 
signs  of  it  were  tucked  away  from  the  little 
doctor  on  his  occasional  visits,  the  smothered 
excitement  flamed  afresh  immediately  his  de- 
parture became  an  assured  thing.  Everybody 
had  the  wildest  plans  for  the  occasion;  it  ap- 
pearing impossible  to  do  enough  for  the  one 
who  had  stood  at  the  helm  for  five  long  years, 
and  who  was  to  be  reigning  housekeeper  for 
as  much  longer  as  her  services  were  needed. 

And  Dr.  Fisher  never  knew  how  perilously 
near  he  had  been  to  the  verge  of  brilliant  even- 
ing festivities,  in  the  midst  of  which  he  was 
to  be  ushered  into  matrimony. 

For  Polly  had  suddenly  waked  one  morning, 
to  find  herself,  not  "  famous,"  but  alive  with 
the  sense  of  being  —  as  her  mother  had  so 
often  expressed  it  —  "  Mamsie's  little  right- 
hand  woman." 

"  It  will  be  much  better  to  have  everything 
plain,"  said  Polly,  communing  with  herself,  as 
she  turned  on  her  pillow.  "  Mamsie  has  always 
been  without  show,  of  any  kind,  and  so,"  but 


240 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


here  Polly's  heart  stood  still.  Dearly  she  loved 
the  bright,  conspicuous  accompaniments  to  the 
wedding  whereby  Mr.  King  was  determined  to 
show  his  respect  for  the  family  under  his  care. 
And  her  soul  secretly  longed  for  the  five  hun- 
dred guests  named  on  a  list  of  the  old  gentle- 
man's drawing  up.  And  the  feast  and  the 
lights,  and  the  pretty  dresses,  and  the  dancing 
party  for  the  young  people  to  follow.  For  Mr. 
King  had  announced  himself  as  about  to  usher 
in  the  brightest  of  days  for  the  young  Peppers 
to  remember. 

"  Beside  it  brings  our  new  physician  into 
notice,"  he  would  answer  when  any  faint  pro- 
test was  made.  "  And  we  shall  all  have  reason 
to  be  immensely  proud  of  him,  I  tell  you !  " 

"  Oh,  dear !  "  cried  Polly,  burrowing  deeper 
within  the  pillow  folds,  "  why  aren't  pleasant 
things  best  to  do  ?    Why,  I  wonder !  " 

Cherry,  twittering  in  the  window,  chirped 
something  vague  and  unsatisfactory.  Polly 
brought  up  her  brown  head  suddenly  and 
laughed. 

"  Nonsense !  our  happiness  doesn't  depend 
upon  a  lot  of  people  coming  together  to  help  it 


MAMSIE'S   WEDDING 


241 


along.  Mamsie's  face  whenever  Grandpapa 
plans  all  this  magnificence,  is  enough  to  make 
me  feel  wretched  at  the  thought  of  it.  Dear 
Mamsie!  she's  afraid  of  ingratitude  if  she 
doesn't  try  to  like  it.  She  shall  have  the  little 
morning  wedding  with  a  few  people  around, 
and  the  gray  silk  gown  instead  of  the  lavender 
one  Grandpapa  wants  her  to  wear,  for  Mamsie 
always  knows  just  what  is  right." 

With  that,  Polly  sprang  out  of  bed,  and 
rushed  at  her  toilet,  and  after  breakfast  she 
quietly  captured  Mr.  King  on  the  edge  of  some 
other  extravagant  plan,  and  led  him  into  the 
library. 

"  Everything  is  going  on  finely,  Polly,"  he 
cried  in  elation.  "  Ring  for  Thomas,  child ; 
stay,  I'll  do  it  myself.  I  shall  go  in  an  hour  to 
give  my  orders  for  the  wedding  supper." 

"  Grandpapa,"  cried  Polly,  turning  quite 
pale,  and  laying  a  quick,  detaining  hand  on  his 
arm,  "  oh !  do  wait,  dear  Grandpapa,  I  have 
something  to  say." 

"  Well,  child,"  but  he  still  retained  his  hand 
on  the  cord. 

"Oh,  Grandpapa!"  how  could  she  say  it! 


242 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


But  she  must.  "  Mamsie  will  be  ever  so  much 
happier  if  the  wedding  might  be  a  quiet  one. 
She  really  would,  Grandpapa." 

"  No  doubt  Mrs.  Pepper  finds  it  a  little  hard 
to  adjust  her  ideas  to  the  large  affair,"  said  the 
old  gentleman,  considerably  disturbed,  and  by 
no  means  relinquishing  the  bell-cord,  "  but  it  is 
due  to  you  children  to  have  a  bright  time,  and 
I  must  see  that  you  all  have  it.  That  is  my 
affair,"  and  this  time  the  cord  was  pulled,  and 
the  bell  rang  a  loud,  insistent  message. 

Polly  stood  still  in  despair.  "  Grandpapa," 
she  said  distinctly,  finding  it  hard  to  proceed, 
with  his  face  before  her,  "  we  children  do  not 
want  the  large  party;  that  is  I  do  not." 

It  was  all  out  at  last. 

"  Stuff  and  nonsense !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  King 
sharply,  for  his  surprise  was  too  great  to  allow 
of  composure,  "  who  has  been  putting  this  idea 
into  your  head?  Your  mother  couldn't  have 
done  it,  for  she  promised  it  should  all  be  as 
you  young  people  wanted." 

"  Mamsie  never  said  a  word,"  cried  Polly, 
recovering  herself  as  she  saw  a  chance  to  make 
things  right  for  Mother  Pepper ;   "  it  all  came 


MAMSIE'S   WEDDING 


243 


to  me,  Grandpapa,  all  alone  by  myself.  Oh !  I 
hate  the  big  display !  "  she  declared  with  sud- 
den vehemence,  astonishing  herself  with  the 
repulsion  that  now  seized  her. 

"  Hoity  toity !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  King,  "  it's 
not  quite  the  thing,  Polly,  my  child,  to  express 
yourself  so  decidedly,  considering  your  years." 

"  Grandpapa,"  cried  Polly,  with  a  sudden 
rush  of  tears,  "  forgive  me,  do ;  I  did  not  mean 
to  be  so  naughty.  I  did  not,  dear  Grandpapa." 
She  looked  like  Phronsie  now,  and  the  old 
gentleman's  heart  melted.  "  But  I  am  quite 
sure  that  none  of  us  children  would  be  a  bit 
happy  not  to  have  it  as  Mamsie  would  like." 

"  Well,  but  I  am  not  sure  that  the  others 
wouldn't  like  it,"  said  Mr.  King  persistently. 

"  Ben  wouldn't,"  said  Polly  triumphantly, 
"  I  know,  for  he  all  along  shrank  from  the  big 
party." 

"Oh!  well,  Ben,  I  suppose,  would  object 
somewhat,"  conceded  the  old  gentleman  slowly. 

"And  Davie,"  cried  Polly,  flushing  eagerly; 
"  Oh,  Grandpapa !  David  would  much  prefer 
the  morning  wedding  and  the  plain  things." 

"But  how  about  Joel  and  Phronsie?  "  inter- 


244 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


rupted  Mr.  King,  utterly  ignoring  Davie's 
claims  to  be  heard.  "  Ah !  Polly,  my  dear, 
until  you  tell  me  that  they  will  prefer  to  give  up 
the  fine  party,  you  mustn't  expect  me  to  pay 
any  attention  to  what  you  say.  It's  due  to 
Phronsie  that  your  mother's  wedding  is  a  thing 
worthy  to  remember  as  a  fine  affair." 

"  Perhaps  Joel  and  Phronsie  will  think  as  we 
do,"  said  Polly.     But  her  heart  said  No. 

"All  right  if  they  do,"  said  Mr.  King  easily, 
"  but  unless  you  come  and  tell  me  it  is  their 
own  choice,  why,  I  shall  just  go  on  with  my 
plans  as  mapped  out,"  he  added  obstinately. 
"  Thomas,"  as  that  functionary  appeared  in  the 
doorway,  "  take  the  letters  to  the  post  at  once ; 
you  will  find  them  on  my  writing  table." 

"All  right,  sir." 

"  I'll  give  you  till  to-morrow  to  find  out," 
said  Mr.  King.  "  Now  come  and  kiss  me,  Polly 
dear.  You'll  see  it's  all  right  after  it's  over, 
and  be  glad  I  had  the  sense  to  keep  my  mind 
about  it." 

Polly  put  up  her  lips  obediently.  But  it  was 
a  sad  little  kiss  that  was  set  upon  his  mouth, 
and  it  left  him  feeling  like  a  criminal, 


MAMSIE'S   WEDDING 


245 


And  running  out,  she  met  her  difficult  task 
without  a  moment  of  preparation. 

"  Halloo,  Polly !  "  whooped  Joel,  rushing 
around  an  angle  in  the  hall,  "  Grandpapa  prom- 
ised me  that  I  might  go  out  with  him,  to  give 
the  supper  orders,  and  all  that  kind  of  non- 
sense." 

Polly's  heart  stood  still. 

"  Joel,"  she  began,  seizing  his  jacket  with 
trembling  fingers,  "  come  up  into  my  room  a 
minute." 

"What's  up?"  cried  Joel  with  curiosity; 
"  some  more  mysteries  ?  There's  nothing  but 
whisperings,  and  secrets,  and  no  end  of  jolly 
understandings,  ever  since  Mamsie  commenced 
to  marry  Dr.  Fisher.     Go  ahead,  I'll  come." 

"  And  Phronsie,  too,,'  said  Polly,  seeing  the 
yellow  head  emerge  from  the  breakfast-room 
doorway. 

"  Come  on,  Phron,"  sang  out  Joel,  "  up  in 
Polly's  room — she  wants  you,"  and -the  three 
hurried  off. 

"  Now,  Joel,"  said  Polly,  closing  the  door 
and  facing  him  desperately,  "  you  are  Mamsie's 
own  boy." 


246       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  I  should  think  so,  "  said  Joel,  "  I'm  not 
anybody's  else.  Is  that  all  you  brought  me  up 
here  to  say?  "  thrusting  his  hands  in  his  pockets 
and  looking  at  her. 

"  And  you  can  make  her  happy,  or  just  as 
miserable  as  I  can't  say  what,"  went  on  Polly 
incoherently. 

"  What  in  the  world  are  you  firing  at  ?  "  de- 
manded the  boy,  visions  of  certain  pranks  at 
school  unpleasantly  before  him.  "  Don't  shoot 
over  my  head,  Polly,  but  keep  somewhere  near 
your  mark,"  he  advised  irritably. 

Phronsie  surveyed  the  two  with  wide  eyes, 
and  a  not  wholly  pleased  manner. 

"  Mamsie  does  not  want  a  big  wedding,"  de- 
clared Polly,  going  to  the  heart  of  the  matter, 
"  but  dear  kind  Grandpapa  thinks  it  will  please 
us  children,  and  so  he  wants  to  give  her  one." 

"  And  so  it  will,"  cried  Joel,  "  please  us 
children.  Whoop  la!  give  us  your  hand, 
Phronsie,  this  is  the  way  we'll  dance  after- 
wards at  the  party." 

"  I  don't  want  to  dance,"  said  Phronsie, 
standing  quite  still  in  the  middle  of  the  room. 
The  morning  sun  shone  across  her  yellow  hair, 


MAMSIE'S   WEDDING  247 

but  no  light  came  into  the  large  eyes.  "  Polly- 
wants  something,  first ;  what  is  it,  Joel  ?  " 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know,"  said  Joel,  poised  on 
a  careless  foot,  and  executing  a  remarkable  pas 
seul.  "  I  don't  believe  she  knows  herself. 
Polly  is  often  queer,  you  know,  Phronsie,"  he 
added  cheerfully. 

"  Tell  me,  Polly,  do,"  whispered  Phronsie, 
going  over  to  her. 

"  Phronsie,"  said  Polly  very  slowly,  "  Mam- 
sie  doesn't  want  a  big  party  in  the  evening  to 
see  her  married,  but  to  have  a  cunning  little 
company  of  friends  come  in  the  morning, 
and  "  — 

"  Ugh !  "  cried  Joel  in  disgust,  coming  down 
suddenly  to  both  feet. 

"  It  will  please  Mamsie  best,"  went  on  Polly, 
with  a  cold  shoulder  to  Joel.  "  And  I  never 
should  be  happy  in  all  this  world  to  remember 
that  I  helped  to  make  my  Mamsie  unhappy  on 
her  wedding  day." 

Phronsie  shivered,  and  her  voice  held  a  mis- 
erable little  thrill  as  she  begged,  "  Oh !  make 
her  be  married  just  as  she  wants  to  be,  Polly, 
do." 


248       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  Now  that's  what  I  call  mean,"  cried  Joel  in 
a  loud,  vindictive  tone  back  of  Polly,  "  to  work 
on  Phronsie's  feelings.  You  can't  make  me  say 
I  don't  want  Mamsie  to  have  a  wedding  splurge, 
so  there,  Polly  Pepper !  " 

Polly  preserved  a  dignified  silence,  and  pre- 
sented her  shoulder  again  to  his  view. 

"  You  can't  make  me  say  it,  Polly  Pepper !  " 
shouted  Joel  shrilly. 

"  Oh,  Phronsie !  "  exclaimed  Polly  in  a  rap- 
ture, throwing  her  arms  around  the  child, 
"  Mamsie  will  be  so  pleased  —  you  can't  think. 
Let  us  go  and  tell  her ;   come !  " 

"  See  here!  "  called  Joel,  edging  up,  "  why 
don't  you  talk  to  me  ?  " 

"  I  haven't  anything  to  say,"  Polly  conde- 
scended to  give  him,  without  turning  her  head. 
"  Come,  Phronsie,"  holding  out  her  hand. 

"  Wait  a  minute." 

"  Well,  what  is  it?  "  Polly's  hand  now  held 
Phronsie's,  but  she  paused  on  the  way  to  the 
door. 

"  I  guess  I  can  give  up  things  as.  well  as  she 
can,  if  I  know  Mamsie  wants  me  to,"  said  Joel, 
with  a  deeply  injured  manner. 


MAMSIE'S   WEDDING 


249 


"  Mamsie  doesn't  want  any  of  us  to  give  up 
anything  unless  we  do  it  as  if  we  were  glad  to," 
said  Polly.  For  her  life,  she  couldn't  conceal 
a  little  scornful  note  in  her  voice,  and  Joel 
winced  miserably. 

"I  —  I  wish  she  wouldn't  have  the  big 
party,"  he  whined. 

"  I  thought  you  wanted  it,"  said  Polly,  turn- 
ing to  him. 

"I  —  I  don't.  I'd  rather  Mamsie  would  be 
happy.    O  dear!  don't  look  at  me  so." 

"  I'm  not  looking  at  you  so,"  said  Polly. 
"  You  acted  just  as  if  you  had  your  heart  set 
on  the  party." 

"Well,  it  isn't.  I'll  — I'll  — if  you  say 
party  to  me  again !  "  and  he  faced  her  vindic- 
tively. 

"Joel  Pepper!"  cried  Polly,  holding  him 
with  her  brown  eyes,  "  do  you  really  mean  that 
you  are  glad  to  give  up  that  big  evening 
party,  and  have  the  little  teeny  one  in  the 
morning?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Joel,  "  as  true  as  I  live  and 
breathe,  I  do !  " 

"  Oh  !    oh !    oh !  "    cried  Polly,  and  seizing 


250       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

his  arm,  she  led  off  in  a  dance,  so  much  surpass- 
ing his  efforts,  that  Phronsie  screamed  with  de- 
light to  see  them  go.  When  they  could  dance 
no  more,  Polly,  flushed  and  panting,  ran  out  of 
the  room,  leaving  the  two  to  find  out  as  best 
they  might,  the  cause  of  the  strange  de- 
meanor. 

"  Grandpapa,"  Polly  rushing  over  the  stairs, 
met  him  coming  up  to  Mrs.  Whitney's  room, 
"  Joel  says  it's  the  little  morning  wedding  — 
please ;  and  Phronsie  too !  " 

The  old  gentleman  gave  no  sign  of  his  de- 
feat, beyond  a  "  Humph !  and  so  I'm  beaten, 
after  all!" 

And  Dr.  Fisher  never  knew  all  this. 

Mamsie's  wedding-day!  At  last  it  came! 
Was  any  other  ever  so  bright  and  beautiful? 
Phronsie  thought  not,  and  thereupon  she  im- 
peded the  preparations  by  running  up  to  kiss 
her  mother  every  few  moments,  until  such  time 
as  Felicie  carried  her  off  to  induct  her  into  a 
white  muslin  gown.  Polly,  here,  there,  and 
everywhere,  was  in  such  a  rapture  that  she 
seemed  to  float  on  wings,  while  the  boys  of  the 
household,  with  the  exception  of  Jasper,  lost 


MAMSIE'S   WEDDING 


251 


their  heads  early  in  the  day,  and  helplessly  suc- 
cumbed to  all  demands  upon  them. 

Every  flower  had  to  be  put  in  place  by  the 
young  people.  Old  Turner  for  once  stood  one 
side.  And  Polly  must  put  the  white  satin  boxes 
filled  with  wedding  cake  on  the  little  table 
where  one  of  the  waiters  would  hand  them  to 
departing  guests.  And  Phronsie  must  fasten 
Mamsie's  pearl  broach  —  the  gift  of  the  five 
little  Peppers  —  in  her  lace  collar  the  very  last 
thing.  And  Jasper  collected  the  rice  and  set 
the  basket  holding  it  safely  away  from  Joel's 
eager  fingers  till  such  time  as  they  could  shower 
the  bride's  carriage.  And  all  the  boys  were 
ushers,  even  little  Dick  coming  up  grandly  to 
offer  his  arm  to  the  tallest  guest  as  it  hap- 
pened. 

And  old  Mr.  King  gave  the  bride  away! 
And  Dr.  Fisher  at  the  last  forgot  all  the  one 
hundred  and  thirty  eyes,  and  his  "  I  will,"  rang 
out  like  a  man's  who  has  secured  what  he  has 
long  wanted.  And  ever  so  many  of  the  guests 
said  "  What  a  good  father  he  will  make  the 
children,"   and   several   attempted   to  tell   the 


252       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

Peppers  so.  "  As  if  we  didn't  know  it  before," 
said  Joel  indignantly. 

And  Alexia  and  all  the  other  girls  of  Polly's 
set  were  there,  and  Joel's  little  blue  and  white 
creature,  came  to  his  great  satisfaction,  with 
her  aunt,  who  was  quite  intimate  in  the  family ; 
and  Pickering  Dodge  was  there,  of  course,  and 
the  Alstynes,  and  hosts  of  others. 

And  Mother  Pepper  in  her  silver-gray  gown 
and  bonnet,  by  the  side  of  her  husband,  with 
Phronsie  clinging  to  one  hand,  heard  nothing 
but  heart- felt  wishes  for  her  happiness  and  that 
of  the  five  little  Peppers. 

And  there  was  not  so  much  as  the  shadow  of 
a  skeleton  at  the  wedding  breakfast.  And 
Cousin  Mason  Whitney  took  charge  of  the 
toasts  —  and  everybody  felt  that  just  the  right 
things  had  been  said.  And  then  there  was  a 
flutter  of  departure  of  the  bridal'  party,  and  in 
the  rattle  of  the  wheels  Phronsie  piped  out 
bravely  as  she  threw  the  slipper  after  the  de- 
parting coach : 

"  Mamsie  has  been  taking  care  of  us  all  these 
years ;  now  we're  going  to  be  good  and  let  her 
be  happy." 


And  Phronsie  must  fasten  Mamsie's  pearl  brooch  in  her 
lace  collar  the  very  last  thing. — Page  251. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

MRS.  CHATTERTON  HAS  A  NEW  PLAN. 

"  T)OLLY  is  learning  to  play  beautifully," 

-*-  mused  Phronsie,  nursing  one  foot  con- 
templatively, as  she  curled  up  on  the  floor. 
"  And  Ben  is  to  be  a  capital  business  man,  so 
Papa  Fisher  says,  and  Joel  is  going  to  buy  up 
this  whole  town  sometime,  and  Davie  knows 
ever  so  many  books  from  beginning  to  end,  but 
what  can  I  do?  " 

Down  went  the  little  foot  to  the  floor,  and 
the  yellow  head  drooped  over  the  white  apron. 

"  Nothing,"  mourned  Phronsie,  "  just  noth- 
ing at  all ;  not  even  the  wee-est  teeniest  bit  of 
anything  do  I  know  how  to  do.     O  dear !  " 

Outside,     Jasper    was    calling    to    Prince. 
Phronsie  could  hear  the  big  dog  rushing  over 
the  lawn  in  response,  barking  furiously  as  he 
went.    But  she  did  not  move. 
253 


254 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


"  And  Mamsie  will  never  be  glad  for  me, 
unless  I  learn  how  to  do  things  too.  If  I  don't 
hurry,  I  shall  never  be  grown  up." 

"  Tweet  —  tweet  —  ch-r-r-r  "  —  Cherry  in 
his  cage  over  her  head,  chirped  vigorously 
by  way  of  consolation,  but  Phronsie  did  not  lift 
her  head.  Cherry  seeing  all  his  efforts  in  vain, 
stopped  his  song  and  rolled  one  black  eye  down 
at  her  in  astonishment,  and  soon  became  quite 
still. 

Presently  the  rustle  of  a  stiff  black  satin 
gown  became  the  chief  intruder  upon  the  si- 
lence. It  was  so  asserting,  that  Phronsie  lifted 
her  head  to  look  into  the  face  of  Mrs.  Chatter- 
ton,  standing  before  her,  playing  with  the  rings 
on  her  long  white  hands,  and  regarding  her  as  if 
she  would  soon  require  an  explanation  of  such 
strange  conduct. 

"What  are  you  doing,  Phronsie?"  at  last 
demanded  the  lady. 

"  Thinking,"  said  Phronsie;  and  she  laid  her 
chin  in  her  hand,  and  slowly  turned  her  gaze 
upon  the  thin,  disagreeable  face  before  her,  but 
not  as  if  in  the  slightest  degree  given  up  to  a 
study  of  its  lines  and  expression. 


MRS.    CHATTERTON    HAS   A   NEW    PLAN 


255 


"  So  I  perceive,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton 
harshly.  "  Well,  and  what  are  you  thinking 
of,  pray  tell?" 

Still  Phronsie  looked  beyond  her,  and  it  was 
not  until  the  question  had  been  repeated,  that 
an  answer  came. 

"  Of  many  things,"  said  Phronsie,  "  but  I  do 
not  think  I  ought  to  tell  you." 

"  And  why  not,  pray?  "  cried  the  lady,  with 
a  short  and  most  unpleasant  laugh. 

"  Because  I  do  not  think  you  would  under- 
stand them,"  said  Phronsie.  And  now  she 
looked  at  the  face  she  had  before  overlooked, 
with  a  deliberate  scrutiny  as  if  she  would  not 
need  to  repeat  the  attention. 

"  Indeed !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Chatterton  an- 
grily, "  and  pray  how  long  since  your  thoughts 
have  been  so  valuable  ?  " 

"  My  thoughts  are  nice  ones,"  said  Phronsie, 
slowly,  "  because  they  are  about  nice  people." 

"Ah!" 

"  And  they  won't  tell  themselves.  And  I 
ought  not  to  make  them.  They  would  fly  away 
then,  and  I  should  never  find  them  again,  when 
I  wanted  to  think  them." 


256       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  Your  mother  brought  you  up  well,  I  must 
say,"  observed  Mrs.  Chatterton,  deliberately 
drawing  up  a  chair  and  putting  her  long  figure 
within  it,  "  to  talk  in  this  style  to  a  lady  as  old 
as  I  am." 

Phronsie  allowed  one  foot  to  gently  trace  the 
pattern  on  the  carpet  before  she  answered.  "  I 
know  you  are  very  old,"  she  said  at  last,  "  but 
I  cannot  tell  my  thoughts  to  you." 

"  Very  old !  "  cried  Mrs.  Chatterton,  her 
chin  in  the  air.  "  Indeed !  well,  I  am  not,  I 
would  have  you  know,  Miss  Phronsie,"  and 
she  played  with  the  silk  cord  of  her  satin  wrap- 
per. "  I  hate  a  child  that  is  made  a  prig !  "  she 
added  explosively  under  her  breath. 

Phronsie  made  no  reply,  being  already  deep 
in  her  own  calculations  once  more. 

"  Now,  Phronsie,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton, 
suddenly  drawing  herself  out  of  her  angry  fit, 
and  clearing  her  brow,  "  I  want  you  to  give 
your  attention  to  me  a  moment,  for  I  have 
something  I  must  say  to  you.  That's  why  I 
came  in  here,  to  find  you  alone.  Come,  look  at 
me,  child.  It  isn't  polite  to  be  staring  at  the 
carpet  all  the  time." 


MRS.    CHATTERTON    HAS   A   NEW    PLAN    257 

Phronsie  thus  admonished,  took  her  gaze 
from  the  floor,  to  bestow  it  on  the  face  above 
her. 

"  It's  something  that  nobody  is  to  know  but 
just  you  and  me,"  began  Mrs.  Chatterton,  with 
a  cautious  glance  at  the  door.  Then  she  got  out 
of  her  chair,  and  going  across  the  room,  closed 
it  carefully.  "There,  that's  better;  Polly  is 
always  around.  Now  we  are  quite  alone,"  com- 
ing back  to  her  seat. 

"  You  see,  Phronsie,"  she  proceeded,  not 
caring  that  the  brown  eyes  were  slowly  adding 
to  their  astonshment  an  expression  that  augured 
ill  for  any  plans  she  might  be  hoping  to  carry 
out  toward  propitiation.  "  It  is  necessary  to  be 
careful  not  to  be  overheard,  for  what  I  am 
going  to  say  to  you,  must  be  kept  quite  secret." 

"  I  must  tell  Mamsie,"  said  Phronsie  dis- 
tinctly. 

"  Indeed  you  will  not,"  declared  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton. "  She  is  the  very  one  of  all  others  who 
ought  not  to  know.  You  can  help  her,  Phron- 
sie, if  you  only  keep  quiet." 

Phronsie's  eyes  now  became  so  very  large, 
that  Mrs.  Chatterton  hastened  to  add : 


258       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  You  know  Polly  is  learning  to  be  a  music 
-    teacher  when  she  grows  up." 

Phronsie  made  no  reply. 

"  And  a  very  creditable  one  she  will  be,  from 
all  accounts  I  can  gather,"  contributed  Mrs. 
Chatterton  carelessly.  "  Well,  Ben  is  doing 
well  in  Cabot  &  Van  Meter's,  so  he's  no  trouble 
to  your  mother.  As  for  the  two  boys,  I  know 
nothing  about  them,  one  way  or  the  other.  But 
you,  as  you  are  a  girl,  and  the  only  one  not 
provided  for,  why,  I  shall  show  a  little  kind- 
ness in  your  direction.  It's  wholly  disinter- 
ested and  quixotic,  I  know,"  added  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton, with  a  sweeping  gaze  at  the  walls  and 
ceilings,  "  for  me  to  give  myself  a  thought 
about  you  or  your  future.  And  I  shall  never 
receive  so  much  as  a  thank  you  for  it.  But  I've 
passed  all  my  life  in  thinking  of  others,  Phron- 
sie," here  she  brought  down  her  attention  to  the 
absorbed  little  countenance,  "  and  I  cannot 
change  now,"  she  finished  pensively. 

A  silence  fell  upon  them,  so  great  that  Mrs. 
Chatterton  broke  it  nervously.  "  Goodness  me, 
Phronsie,  you  are  not  like  a  child ;  you  are  too 


MRS.    CHATTERTON    HAS   A   NEW    PLAN 


259 


uncanny  for  anything.  Why  don't  you  ask 
questions  about  my  secret?" 

"  Because  I  ought  not  to  know  it,"  said 
Phronsie,  rinding  her  tongue. 

"Haven't  I  told  you  that  you  will  help  your 
mother  only  by  not  telling  her?"  said  Mrs. 
Chatterton.  "  How  would  you  like  to  learn 
how  to  take  care  of  yourself  when  you  are  a 
big  girl?" 

A  light  slowly  gathered  in  the  brown  eyes, 
becoming  at  last  so  joyous  and  assured,  that 
Mrs.  Chatterton's  face  dropped  its  hard  lines, 
to  lose  itself  in  a  gratified  smile. 

"  Now  you  make  me  see  some  real  hope  that 
my  scheme  won't  be  wholly  a  wild  piece  of  phil- 
anthropy," she  exclaimed.  "  Only  look  like 
that,  Phronsie,  and  I'll  do  anything  for  you." 

"  If  I  can  do  anything  for  Mamsie,"  cried 
Phronsie,  clasping  her  hands  in  rapture.  "  Oh ! 
do  tell  me,  dear  Mrs.  Chatterton,"  she  pleaded. 

"  Oh !  now  I  am  dear  Mrs.  Chatterton," 
cried  that  lady,  with  a  hard,  ill-favored  smile. 
But  she  lowered  her  tone  to  a  gentler  one,  and 
extending  one  jeweled  hand,  took  the  little 
folded  ones  in  her  clasp. 


26o       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  I  will  be  a  good  friend  to  you,  and  show 
you  how  you  can  learn  to  do  something  so  that 
when  you  grow  up,  you  can  take  care  of  your- 
self, just  as  Polly  will.  Just  think,  Phronsie, 
just  as  Polly  will,"  cried  Mrs.  Chatterton 
artfully. 

"  How  —  how  ?  "  demanded  Phronsie, 
scarcely  breathing. 

"  Listen,  Phronsie.  Now  you  know  I  haven't 
any  little  girl." 

Phronsie  drew  a  long  breath. 

"  Well,  I  have  been  looking  for  one  for  a 
long  time.  I  want  one  who  will  be  a  daughter 
to  me;  who  will  grow  up  under  my  direction, 
and  who  will  appreciate  what  I  sacrifice  in 
taking  her.  She  must  be  nice-looking,  for  I 
couldn't  stand  an  ill-favored  child.  I  have 
found  several  who  were  much  better  looking 
than  you,  Phronsie;  in  fact,  they  were  beau- 
ties; but  I  don't  like  the  attitude  of  their 
families.  The  poor  things  actually  thought 
they  were  doing  me  a  favor  by  accepting  my 
proposition  for  the  children." 

As  this  statement  required  no  remark  on  the 
part  of  the  hearer,   Phronsie  was  silent,   not 


MRS.    CHATTERTON    HAS    A    NEW    PLAN    261 

removing  her  eyes  from  Mrs.  Chatterton's 
face. 

"  Now,  although  you  haven't  as  much  to 
recommend  you  as  many  other  children  that 
I  have  fancied,  I  hope  to  make  you  serve  my 
purpose.  I  am  going  to  try  you,  at  least. 
Every  day,  Phronsie,  you  can  come  to  my 
room.  It's  lucky  that  you  don't  go  to  school, 
but  do  pretty  much  as  you  like  in  this  house, 
so  no  questions  will  be  asked." 

"  I  go  to  Grandpapa's  room  every  day,"  said 
Phronsie,  in  a  distressed  tone,  "  to  my  lessons." 

"Of  course.  I  know  that;  a  very  silly 
thing  it  is  too.  There's  no  use  in  trying  to 
break  it  up  now,  I  suppose,  or  I'd  put  my  hand 
to  the  attempt.  But  you  can  come  to  me  after 
you've  got  through  toadying  Mr.  King." 

"What  is  toding?  "   asked   Phronsie. 

"  Never  mind ;  that  hasn't  anything  to  do 
with  the  business  in  hand,"  replied  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton  impatiently.  "  Now  if  you  come  to  me 
every  day,  and  give  me  as  much  time  as  you 
can,  why,  I'll  show  you  what  I  want  of  you, 
and  teach  you  many  things.  Then  after  a 
while,  Phronsie,  when  you  learn  to  appreciate 


262       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

it,  I  shall  tell  you  what  I  am  going  to  do. 
The  adoption  will  be  an  easy  matter,  I  fancy, 
when  the  child  is  interested,"  she  added,  tak- 
ing the  precaution  to  mutter  it. 

"  You  must  do  everything  as  I  tell  you," 
Mrs.  Chatterton  leaned  forward,  and  said  with 
great  deliberateness,  "  else  you  will  lose  this 
chance  to  help  your  mother.  And  you  will 
never  have  another  like  it,  but  will  grow  up  to 
be  a  good-for-nothing  little  thing  when  Polly 
and  all  the  rest  are  earning  money  for  your 
Mamsie,  as  you  call  her." 

"  I  shall  earn  money  too,"  declared  Phronsie 
on  a  high  note,  and  nodding  her  yellow  head 
with  great  decision. 

"  Never !  "  Mrs.  Chatterton  brought  her 
foot,  incased  in  its  black  satin  slipper,  down 
with  force  on  the  carpet.  "  You  will  never 
earn  a  cent  of  money  in  all  this  world,  unless 
you  do  exactly  as  I  say;  for  you  are  a  child 
who  hasn't  it  in  her  to  learn  anything.  But 
you  can  help  me,  and  I  shall  teach  you  many 
things,  and  do  well  by  you." 

"  When  I  grow  a  big  girl,  will  anybody  want 
me  to  do  those  things  that  you  are  going  to 


MRS.    CHATTERTON    HAS   A   NEW    PLAN    263 

teach  me  ?  "  asked  Phronsie,  drawing  near  to 
lay  her  hand  on  the  stiff  black  gown,  and 
speaking  earnestly.  "  Then  if  they  will,  I'll 
try  to  do  them  just  exactly  as  you  tell  me." 

"  Of  course  they  will,"  declared  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton  carefully,  edging  off  from  the  little  fin- 
gers ;  "  ever  so  many  people  will  want  you, 
Phronsie.  And  I  shall  give  you  a  great  deal 
of  money." 

"  I  shall  give  it  all  to  Mamsie,"  interrupted 
Phronsie,  her  brown  eyes  dilating  quickly, 
"  every  single  twenty-five  cents  you  give  me. 
Then  I  guess  she  will  be  glad,  don't  you?" 
she  cried,  clasping  her  hands  in  sudden  rapture, 
while  she  began  to  dance  up  and  down. 

"  I  shall  give  you  so  many  twenty- five  cents," 
cried  Mrs.  Chatterton,  beginning  to  feel  her 
old  heart  beat  with  more  enthusiasm  than  she 
had  known  for  many  a  day,  "  that  you  will  be 
very  rich,  Phronsie." 

"  Oh-oh !  "  cried  Phronsie,  coming  to  an 
abrupt  pause  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  her 
cheek  paling  in  excitement.  And  then  she 
could  say  no  more. 

"  But  you  must  do  exactly  as  I  tell  you." 


264       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

Mrs.  Chatterton  leaned  forward  suddenly,  and 
seized  the  little  hands,  now  so  still  in  their 
delight.  "  Remember,  it  is  only  when  you  fol- 
low my  commands  in  every  single  thing,  that 
you  will  have  any  chance  of  earning  all  this 
money  for  your  mother,  and  helping  her  just 
as  Polly  is  going  to  do.  Remember  now, 
Phronsie !  " 

"  I  will  remember,''  said  Phronsie  slowly,  as 
her  hands  were  released. 

"  Very  good.  We  will  begin  now  then." 
Mrs.  Chatterton  threw  herself  back  in  her 
chair,  and  drew  a  long  breath.  "  Lucky  I 
found  the  child  alone,  and  so  tractable.  It's  sin- 
gularly good  fortune,"  she  muttered.  "  Well," 
aloud,  with  a  light  laugh,  "  now,  Phronsie,  if 
you  are  going  to  be  your  mother's  helper,  why, 
this  is  your  first  duty.  Let  us  see  how  well  you 
perform  it.  Run  upstairs  to  the  closet  out 
of  the  lumber-room,  and  open  the  little  black 
box  on  the  shelf  in  front  of  the  door  —  the 
box  isn't  locked  —  and  bring  me  the  roll  of 
black  velvet  ribbon  you  will  find  there." 

Phronsie  was  about  to  ask,  "  Why  does  not 
Hortense  go  up   for  it?"   but   Mrs.   Chatter- 


MRS.    CHATTERTON    HAS    A    NEW    PLAN    265 

ton  forestalled  the  question  by  saying  with  a 
frown,  "  Hortense  has  gone  down  to  the  dress- 
maker's. No  child  who  calls  me  to  account 
for  anything  I  ask  of  her,  can  be  helped  by 
me.  Do  as  you  like,  Phronsie.  No  one  will 
compel  you  to  learn  how  to  do  things  so  that 
you  can  be  a  comfort  to  your  mother.  Only 
remember,  if  you  don't  obey  me,  you  will  lose 
your  only  chance."  After  this  speech,  Mrs. 
Chatterton  sat  back  and  played  with  her  rings, 
looking  with  oblique  glances  of  cold  consider- 
ation at  the  child. 

"  I'll  go,"  said  Phronsie  with  a  long  sigh, 
"  and  do  every  thing  you  say." 

"  I  do  really  believe  I  can  bend  one  of  those 
dreadful  Pepper  children  to  my  will,"  thought 
Mrs.  Chatterton  exultingly.  "  She  is  my  only 
hope.  Polly  does  better  than  she  did,  but  she 
is  too  old  to  be  tractable,  and  she  has  a  shrewd 
head  on  her  practical  body,  and  the  others  are 
just  horrible!"  She  gave  a  shiver.  "But 
Phronsie  will  grow  up  to  fit  my  purpose,  I 
think.  Three  purposes,  I  may  say  —  to  get 
the  Peppers  gradually  out  from  under  Horatio 
King's  influence,  and  to  train  up  a  girl  to  wait 


266       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

on  me  so  that  I  can  get  away  from  these 
French  villains  of  maids,  and  to  spite  Alex- 
ander's daughter  by  finally  adopting  this  Phron- 
sie  if  she  suits  me.  But  I  must  move  care- 
fully. The  first  thing  is  to  get  the  child  fas- 
tened to  me  by  her  own  will." 

Phronsie,  ascending  the  stairs  to  the  lumber- 
room,  with  careful  deliberateness,  found  no 
hint  of  joy  at  the  prospect  before  her,  reach- 
ing into  the  dim  distance  to  that  enchanted 
time  when  she  should  be  grown  up.  But  there 
was  a  strangely  new  sense  of  responsibility, 
born  in  an  hour;  and  an  acceptance  of  life's 
burdens,  that  made  her  feel  very  old  and  wise. 

"  I  shall  be  a  comfort  to  my  mother,"  she 
said  confidently,  and  mounted  on. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

WHERE  IS  PHRONSIE? 

T3HRONSIE  shut  the  door  of  the  lumber- 
■*-  room,  and  with  a  great  sigh  realized  that 
she  had  with  her  own  hand  cut  herself  off 
from  the  gay  life  below  stairs. 

"  But  they  are  not  so  very  far  off,"  she  said, 
"  and  I  shall  soon  be  down  again,"  as  she  made 
her  way  across  the  room  and  opened  the  closet 
door. 

A  little  mouse  scurried  along  the  shelf  and 
dropped  to  the  floor.  Phronsie  peered  into 
the  darkness  within,  her  small  heart  beating 
fearfully  as  she  held  the  knob  in  her  hand. 

"  There  may  be  more,"  she  said  irresolutely. 
"  I  suppose  he  wouldn't  live  up  here  all  alone. 
Please  go  away,  mousie,  and  let  me  get  the 
box." 

For  answer  there  was  a  scratching  and 
267 


268       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

nibbling  down  in  the  corner  that  held  more 
terrors  for  the  anxious  ears  than  an  invading 
army. 

"  I  must  go  in,"  said  Phronsie,  "  and  bring 
out  the  box.  Please,  good  mouse,  go  away  for 
one  moment;  then  you  may  come  back  and 
stay  all  day." 

But  the  shadowy  corner  only  gave  back  the 
renewed  efforts  of  the  sharp  little  teeth;  so 
at  last,  Phronsie,  plucking  up  courage,  stepped 
in.  The  door  swung  to  after  her,  giving  out 
a  little  click,  unnoticed  in  her  trepidation  as 
she  picked  her  way  carefully  along,  holding 
her  red  gown  away  from  any  chance  nibbles. 
It  was  a  low  narrow  closet,  unlighted  save 
by  a  narrow  latticed  window,  in  the  ceiling, 
for  the  most  part  filled  with  two  lines  of  shelves 
running  along  the  side  and  one  end.  Phronsie 
caught  her  breath  as  she  went  in,  the  air  was 
so  confined;  and  stumbling  over  in  the  dim 
light,  put  her  hand  on  the  box  desired,  a  small 
black  affair,  easily  found,  as  it  was  the  only 
one  there. 

"  I  will  take  it  out  into  the  lumber-room ; 
then  I  can  get  the  velvet  roll,"  and  gathering 


WHERE   IS    PHRONSIE?  269 

it  up  within  her  arms,  she  speedily  made  her 
way  back  to  the  door. 

"  Why  "  —  another  pull  at  the  knob ;  but 
with  the  same  result,  and  Phronsie,  setting  the 
box  on  the  floor,  still  with  thoughts  only  of 
the  mouse,  put  both  hands  to  the  task  of  open- 
ing the  door. 

"  It  sticks,  I  suppose,  because  no  one  comes 
up  here  only  once  in  a  great  while,"  she  said  in 
a  puzzled  way.  "  I  ought  to  be  able  to  pull 
it  open,  I'm  sure,  for  I  am  so  big  and  strong." 
She  exerted  all  her  strength  till  her  face  was 
like  a  rose.  The  door  was  fast.  Phronsie 
turned  a  despairing  look  upon  the  shadowy 
corner. 

"  Please  don't  bite  me,"  she  said,  the  large 
tears  gathering  in  her  brown  eyes.  "  I  am 
locked  in  here  in  your  house;  but  I  didn't 
want  to  come,  and  I  won't  do  anything  to  hurt 
you  if  you'll  let  me  sit  down  and  wait  till 
somebody  comes  to  let  me  out." 

Meanwhile  Mrs.  Chatterton  shook  out  her 
black  satin  gown  complacently,  and  with  a  sat- 
isfied backward  glance  at  the  mirror,  sailed 
off  to  her  own  apartments. 


270 


FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


"  Madame,"  exclaimed  Hortense  breath- 
lessly, meeting  her  within  the  door,  "  de  mo- 
diste will  not  send  de  gown ;  you  must  "  — 

"  Will  not  send  it  ?  "  repeated  her  mistress 
in  a  passion.  "  A  pretty  message  to  deliver. 
Go  back  and  get  it  at  once." 

"  She  say  de  drapery  —  de  tournure  all 
wrong,  and  she  must  try  it  on  again,"  said 
the  maid,  glad  to  be  defiant,  since  the  dress- 
maker supported  her. 

"  What  utter  nonsense !  Yet  I  suppose  I 
must  go,  or  the  silly  creature  will  have  it 
ruined.  Take  off  this  gown,  Hortense,  and 
bring  my  walking  suit,  then  ring  and  say  I'd 
like  to  have  Thomas  take  me  down  there  at 
once,"  and  throwing  off  her  bracelets,  and  the 
various  buckles  and  pins  that  confined  her  laces, 
she  rapidly  disrobed  and  was  expeditiously  in- 
ducted by  Hortense  into  her  walking  apparel, 
and  a  parlor  maid  announcing  that  Thomas 
with  the  coupe  was  at  the  door,  she  hurried 
downstairs,  with  no  thought  for  anything  be- 
yond a  hasty  last  charge  to  her  maid. 

"  Where's  Phronsie  ?  "  cried  Polly,  rushing 
into  Mother  Fisher's  room ;   "  O  dear  me,  my 


WHERE   IS    PHRONSIE? 


271 


hair  won't  stay  straight,"  pushing  the  rebel- 
lious waves  out  of  her  eyes. 

"  It  looks  as  if  a  brush  wouldn't  do  it  any 
harm,"  observed  Mother  Fisher  critically. 

"  O  dear,  dear !  well,  I've  brushed  and 
brushed,  but  it  does  no  good,"  said  Polly, 
running  over  to  the  mirror ;  "  some  days, 
Mamsie,  no  matter  what  I  do,  it  flies  all  ways." 

"  Good  work  tells  generally,"  said  her 
mother,  pausing  on  her  way  to  the  closet  for 
a  closer  inspection  of  her  and  her  head ;  "  you 
haven't  taken  as  much  pains,  Polly,  lately  with 
your  hair;    that  is  the  trouble." 

"  Well,  I'm  always  in  such  a  hurry," 
mourned  Polly,  brushing  furiously  on  the  re- 
fractory locks.  "  There,  will  you  stay  down?  " 
to  a  particularly  rebellious  wave. 

"  One  at  a  time  is  the  best  way  to  take 
things,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher  dryly.  "  When  you 
dress  yourself,  Polly,  I'd  put  my  mind  on  that, 
if  I  were  you." 

With  that,  she  disappeared  within  the  closet. 

"  O  dear,  I  suppose  so,"  sighed  Polly,  left 
to  her  own  reflections  and  brushing  away. 
"  Well,  that's  the  best  I  can  make  it  look  now, 


272       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

for  I  can't  do  the  braid  over.  Where  is  Phron- 
sie,  I  wonder!  Mamsie,"  she  threw  down  the 
brush  and  ran  over  to  put  her  head  in  the 
closet,  "  where  did  she  go?  " 

"  I  told  her  she  might  run  over  to  Helen 
Fargo's,  right  after  breakfast,"  said  Mrs. 
Fisher,  her  head  over  a  trunk,  from  which 
she  was  taking  summer  dresses.  "  Polly,  I 
think  you'll  get  one  more  season's  wear  out 
of  this  pink  cambric." 

"  Oh !  I  am  so  glad,"  cried  Polly,  "  for  I 
had  such  splendidly  good  times  in  it,"  with  a 
fond  glance  at  the  pink  folds  and  ruffles. 
"  Well,  if  Phronsie  is  over  at  Helen's,  there's 
no  use  in  asking  her  to  go  down  town  with  us." 

"  Where  are  you  going?  "  asked  Mrs.  Fisher, 
extricating  one  of  Phronsie's  white  gowns  from 
its  winter  imprisonment. 

"  Down  to  Candace's,"  said  Polly.  "  Jas- 
per wants  some  more  pins  for  his  cabinet. 
No,  I  don't  suppose  Phronsie  would  tear  her- 
self away  from  Helen  for  all  the  down-towns 
in  the  world." 

"  You  would  better  let  her  stay  where  she 
is,"  advised  Mother  Fisher;    "  she  hasn't  been 


WHERE   IS    PHRONSIE?  273 

over  to  Helen's  for  quite  a  while,  so  its  a  pity- 
to  call  her  away,"  and  she  turned  to  her  un- 
packing again,  while  Polly  ran  off  on  the  wings 
of  the  wind,  in  a  tremor  at  having  kept  Jas- 
per waiting  so  long. 

"  Candace  "  was  the  widow  of  an  old  col- 
ered  servant  of  Mr.  King's ;  she  called  her- 
self a  "  relict ;  "  that,  and  the  pride  in  her 
little  shop,  made  her  hold  her  turbaned  head 
high  in  the  air,  while  a  perennial  smile  en- 
wreathed  her  round  face. 

The  shop  was  on  Temple  Place,  a  narrow 
extension  thrown  out  from  one  of  the  city's 
thoroughfares.  She  was  known  for  a  few 
specialties;  such  as  big  sugary  doughnuts  that 
appealed  alike  to  old  and  young.  They  were 
always  fresh  and  sweet;  with  just  the  proper 
amount  of  spice  to  make  them  toothsome ;  and 
she  made  holders  of  various  descriptions,  with 
the  most  elaborate  patterns  wrought  always  in 
yellow  worsted ;  with  several  other  things  that 
the  ladies  protested  could  never  be  found  else- 
where. Jasper  had  been  accustomed  to  run 
down  to  Candace's  little  shop,  since  pinafore 
days,   when  he  had  been  taken  there  by  his 


274       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

nurse,  and  set  upon  a  high  stool  before  the 
small  counter,  and  plied  with  dainties  by  the 
delighted  Candace.  ; 

"  The  first  thing  I  can  remember,"  he  had 
often  told  Polly,  "  is  Candace  taking  out  huge 
red  and  white  peppermint  drops,  from  the  big 
glass  jar  in  the  window,  and  telling  me  to  hold 
out  both  hands." 

And  after  the  "  pinafore  days  "  were  over, 
Candace  was  the  boy's  helper  in  all  his  sports 
where  a  woman's  needle  could  stitch  him  out  of 
any  difficulty.  She  it  was  who  made  the  sails 
to  his  boats,  and  marvelous  skate  bags.  She 
embroidered  the  most  intricate  of  straps  for 
his  school-books,  and  once  she  horrified  him 
completely  by  working  in  red  cotton,  large 
"  J's  "  on  two  handkerchiefs.  He  stifled  the 
horror  when  he  saw  her  delight  in  presenting 
the  gift,  and  afterwards  was  careful  to  remem- 
ber to  carry  a  handkerchief  occasionally  when 
on  an  errand  to  the  shop. 

Latterly  Candace  was  occupied  in  preparing 
pins  for  Jasper's  cabinet,  out  of  old  needles 
that  had  lost  their  eyes.  She  cleverly  put  on 
red  and  black  sealing  wax  heads,  turning  them 


WHERE   IS    PHRONSIE? 


275 


out  as  round  as  the  skillful  manipulation  of 
deft  fingers  could  make  them.  In  this  new 
employment,  the  boy  kept  her  well  occupied, 
many  half-dollars  thereby  finding  their  way 
into  her  little  till. 

"  I  wish  Phronsie  had  come,"  said  Polly,  as 
she  and  Jasper  sorted  the  pins  in  the  little 
wooden  tray  Candace  kept  for  the  purpose. 
"  How  many  red  ones  you  will  have,  Jasper 
—  see  —  fifteen ;  well,  they're  prettier  than  the 
others." 

"  Ef  little  Miss  had  come  wid  you,"  said 
Candace,  emerging  from  the  folds  of  a  chintz 
curtain  that  divided  the  shop  from  the  bed- 
room, "  she'd  'a'  seen  my  doll  I  made  for  her. 
Land!   but  it's  a  beauty." 

"Oh,  Candace!"  exclaimed  Polly,  dropping 
the  big  pin  she  held,  and  allowing  it  to  roll  off 
the  counter  to  the  floor.  "  What  a  pity  we 
didn't  bring  her!    Do  let  us  see  the  doll." 

"  She's  a  perfec'  beauty !  "  repeated  Can- 
dace in  satisfaction,  "  an'  I  done  made  her  all 
myself  fer  de  little  Miss,"  and  she  dodged  be- 
hind the  curtain  again,  this  time  bringing  out 
a  large  rag  doll  with  surprising  black  bead  eyes, 


276       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

a  generous  crop  of  wool  on  its  head,  and  a  red 
worsted  mouth. 

"  Dat's  my  own  hair,"  said  Candace,  point- 
ing to  the  doll's  head  with  pride,  "  so  I  know 
it's  good ;  an'  ain't  dat  mouf  pretty  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Candace !  "  exclaimed  Polly,  seizing 
the  doll,  and  skillfully  evading  the  question, 
"  what  a  lovely  dress  —  and  the  apron  is  a 
dear  "  — 

"  Ain't  it  ?  "  said  Candace,  her  black  face 
aglow  with  delight.  "  Ole  Miss  gimme  dat 
yeller  satin  long  ago,  w'en  I  belonged  to  her 
befo'  de  war.  An'  dat  yere  apun  was  a  piece 
of  ole  Miss's  night-cap.  She  used  to  have 
sights  of  'em,  and  dey  was  all  ruffled  like  to 
kill,  an'  made  o'  tambour  work." 

Polly  had  already  heard  many  times  the  story 
of  Madame  Carroll's  night-caps,  so  she  re- 
turned to  the  subject  of  the  doll's  beauty  as 
a  desirable  change. 

"  Do  you  want  us  to  take  this  to  Phron- 
sie  ?  "  she  asked.  "  Jasper,  won't  she  be  de- 
lighted?" 

"Land,  no!  "  cried  Candace,  recovering  the 
doll   in   alarm ;    "  I'd   never  sleep  a  week  o' 


WHERE   IS    PHRONSIE?  2.77 

nights  ef  I  didn't  put  dat  yere  doll  into  dat 
bressed  child's  arms." 

"  Then  I'll  tell  Phronsie  to  come  over  to- 
morrow," said  Polly.     "  Shall  I,  Candace?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Candace,  "  you  tell  her  I  got 
somefin'  fer  her;  don't  you  tell  her  what,  an' 
send  her  along." 

"  All  right,"  said  Jasper.  "  Just  imagine 
Phronsie's  eyes  when  she  sees  that  production. 
Candace,  you've  surpassed  yourself." 

"  You  go  'long !  "  exclaimed  Candace,  in 
delight,  and  bestowing  a  gentle  pat  of  depreca- 
tion on  his  shoulder,  "  'tain't  like  what  I  could 
do;  but  la!  well,  you  send  de  bressed  chile 
along,  and  mabbe  she'll  like  it." 

"  Jasper,  we'll  stop  at  Helen's  now,"  said 
Polly  as  the  two  hurried  by  the  tall  iron  fence, 
that,  lined  with  its  thick  hedge,  shut  out  the 
Fargo  estate  from  vulgar  eyes,  "  and  get 
Phronsie;  she'll  be  ready  to  come  home  now; 
it's  nearly  luncheon  time." 

"  All  right,"  said  Jasper ;  so  the  two  ran 
over  the  carriage  drive  to  a  side  door  by  which 
the  King  family  always  had  entree. 

"  Is  Phronsie  ready  to  come  home?  "   asked 


278       FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

Polly  of  the  maid.  "  Tell  her  to  hurry  and  get 
her  things  on ;  we'll  wait  here.  Oh,  Jasper !  " 
turning  to  him,  "  why  couldn't  we  have  the 
club  next  week,  Wednesday  night  ?  " 

"  Miss  Mary,"  said  the  maid,  interrupting, 
"what  do  you  mean?  I  haven't  seen  Miss 
Phronsie  to-day." 

Polly  whirled  around  on  the  step  and  looked 
at  her. 

"  Oh !  she's  upstairs  in  the  nursery,  playing 
with  Helen,  I  suppose.  Please  ask  her  to  hurry, 
Hannah." 

"  No,  she  isn't,  Miss  Mary,"  said  Hannah. 
"  I've  been  sweeping  the  nursery  this  morning; 
just  got  through."  She  pointed  to  her  broom 
and  dustpan  that  she  had  set  in  a  convenient 
corner,  as  proof  of  her  statement. 

"  Well,  she's  with  Helen  somewhere,"  said 
Polly,  a  little  impatiently. 

"  Yes ;  find  Helen,  and  you  have  the  two," 
broke  in  Jasper.  "  Just  have  the  goodness, 
Hannah,  to  produce  Helen." 

"  Miss  Helen  isn't  home,"  said  Hannah. 
"  She  went  to  Greenpoint  yesterday  with  Mrs. 
Fargo  to  spend  Sunday." 


WHERE   IS    PHRONSIE? 


279 


"  Why/'  exclaimed  Polly  in  bewilderment, 
"  Mamsie  said  she  told  Phronsie  right  after 
breakfast  that  she  could  come  over  here." 

"  She  hasn't  been  here,"  said  the  maid  posi- 
tively. "  I  know  for  certain  sure,  Miss  Mary. 
Has  she,  Jane?"  appealing  to  another  maid 
coming  down  the  hall. 

"  No,"  said  Jane.  "  She  hasn't  been  here 
for  ever  so  many  days." 

"  Phronsie  played  around  outside  probably," 
said  Jasper  quickly ;  "  anyway,  she's  home 
now.  Come  on,  Polly.  She'll  run  out  to  meet 
us." 

"Oh,  Jasper!  do  you  suppose  she  will?" 
cried  Polly,  unable  to  stifle  an  undefinable 
dread.  She  was  running  now  on  frightened 
feet,  Jasper  having  hard  work  to  keep  up  with 
her,  and  the  two  dashed  through  the  little  gate 
in  the  hedge  where  Phronsie  was  accustomed 
to  let  herself  through  on  the  only  walk  she 
was  ever  allowed  to  take  alone,  and  into  the 
house  where  Polly  cried  to  the  first  person  she 
met,  "Where's  Phronsie?"  to  be  met  with 
what  she  dreaded,  "  Gone  over  to  Helen 
Fargo's," 


28o       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

And  now  there  was  indeed  alarm  through 
the  big  house.  Not  knowing  where  to  look, 
each  fell  in  the  other's  way,  quite  as  much 
concerned  for  Mr.  King's  well-being;  for  the 
old  gentleman  was  reduced  to  such  a  state  by 
the  fright,  that  the  entire  household  had.  all 
they  could  do  to  keep  him  in  bounds. 

"  Madame  is  not  to  come  home  to  luncheon," 
announced  Hortense  to  Mrs.  Whitney  in  the 
midst  of  the  excitement.  "  She  told  me  to 
tell  you  that  de  Mees  Taylor  met  her  at  de 
modiste,  and  took  her  home  with  her." 

Mrs.  Whitney  made  no  reuly,  but  raised  her 
eyes  swollen  with  much  crying,  to  the  maid's 
face. 

"  Hortense,  run  as  quickly  as  possible  down 
to  Dr.  Fisher's  office,  and  tell  him  to  come 
home." 

"  Thomas  should  be  sent,"  said  Hortense, 
with  a  toss  of  her  head.  "  It's  not  de  work 
for  me.     Beside  I  am  Madame's  maid." 

"  Do  you  go  at  once,"  commanded  Mrs. 
Whitney,  with  a  light  in  her  blue  eyes  that 
the  maid  never  remembered  seeing.  She  was 
even  guilty  of  stamping  her  pretty  foot  in  the 


WHERE   IS    PHRONSIE?  28l 

exigency,  and  Hortense  slowly  gathered  her- 
self up. 

"  I  will  go,  Madame,"  with  the  air  of  con- 
ferring a  great  favor,  "  only  I  do  not  such 
t'ings  again." 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

PHRONSIE   IS    FOUND. 

"  "I    AM  glad  that  you  agree  with  me."    Mrs. 

■*■  Chatterton  bestowed  a  complacent  smile 
upon  the  company. 

"  But  we  don't  in  the  least  agree  with  you," 
said  Madame  Dyce,  her  stiff  brocade  rustling 
impatiently  in  the  effort  to  put  her  declaration 
before  the  others,  "  not  in  the  least." 

"  Ah  ?  Well,  you  must  allow  that  I  have 
good  opportunities  to  judge.  The  Pepper  en- 
tanglement can  be  explained  only  by  saying 
that  my  cousin's  mental  faculties  are  im- 
paired." 

"  The  rest  of  the  family  are  afflicted  in  the 
same  way,  aren't  they?"  remarked  Hamilton 
Dyce  nonchalantly. 

"Humph!  yes."  Mrs.  Chatterton's  still 
shapely  shoulders  allowed  themselves  a  shrug 
282 


PHRONSIE   IS   FOUND  283 

intended  to  reveal  volumes.  "  What  Jasper 
Horatio  King  believes,  the  rest  of  the  house- 
hold accept  as  law  and  gospel.  But  it's  no  less 
infatuation." 

"  I'll  not  hear  one  word  involving  those  dear 
Peppers,"  cried  Madam  Dyce.  "  If  I  could, 
I'd  have  them  in  my  house.  And  it's  a  most 
unrighteous  piece  of  work,  in  my  opinion, 
to  endeavor  to  arouse  prejudice  against  them. 
It  goes  quite  to  my  heart  to  remember  their 
struggles  all  those  years." 

Mrs.  Chatterton  turned  on  her  with  venom. 
Was  all  the  world  arrayed  against  her,  to  take 
up  with  those  hateful  interlopers  in  her  cousin's 
home  ?  She  made  another  effort.  "  I  should 
have  credited  you  with  more  penetration  into 
motives  than  to  allow  yourself  to  be  deceived 
by  such  a  woman  as  Mrs.  Pepper." 

"  Do  give  her  the  name  that  belongs  to  her. 
I  believe  she's  Mrs.  Dr.  Fisher,  isn't  she?" 
drawled  Livingston  Bayley,  a  budding  youth, 
with  a  moustache  that  occasioned  him  much 
thought,  and  a  solitary  eyeglass. 

"  Stuff  and  nonsense !  Yes,  what  an  absurd 
thing  that  wedding  was.     Did  anybody  ever 


284       F!VE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

hear  or  see  the  like!  "  Mrs.  Chatterton  lifted 
her  long  jeweled  hands  in  derision,  but  as  no 
one  joined  in  the  laugh,  she  dropped  them 
slowly  into  her  lap. 

"  I  don't  see  any  food  for  scorn  in  that 
episode,"  said  the  youth  with  the  moustache. 
"  Possibly  there  will  be  another  marriage  there 
before  many  years.     I'm  sweet  on  Polly." 

Mrs.  Chatterton's  face  held  nothing  but 
blank  dismay.     The  rest  shouted. 

"  You  needn't  laugh,  you  people,"  said  the 
youth,  setting  his  eyeglass  straight,  "  that  girl 
is  going  to  make  a  sensation,  I  tell  you,  when 
she  comes  out.  I'm  going  to  secure  her 
early." 

"  Not  a  word,  mind  you,  about  Miss  Polly's 
preferences,"  laughed  Hamilton  Dyce  aside  to 
Miss  Mary. 

"  'Tisn't  possible  that  she  could  be  anything 
but  fascinated,  of  course,"  Mary  laughed  back. 

"Of  course  not.  The  callow  youth  knows 
his  power.  Anybody  else  in  favor  of  the  Pep- 
pers ?  "  aloud,  and  looking  at  the  company. 

"  Don't  ask  us  if  we  like  the  Peppers,"  cried 
two  young  ladies  simultaneously.     "  They  are 


PHRONSIE   IS   FOUND 


285 


our  especial  and  particular  pets,  every  one  of 
them." 

"  The  Peppers  win,"  said  Hamilton  Dyce, 
looking  full  into  Mrs.  Chatterton's  contemp- 
tuous face.  "  I'm  glad  to  record  my  humble 
self  as  their  admirer.     Now  "  — 

"  Well,  pa !  "  Mary  could  not  refrain  from 
interrupting  as  her  father  suddenly  appeared 
in  the  doorway. 

"  I  can't  sit  down,"  he  said,  as  the  company 
made  way  for  him  to  join  them.  "  I  came 
home  for  some  important  papers.  I  suppose 
you  have  heard  the  trouble  at  the  Kings?  I 
happened  to  drop  in  there.  Well,  Dyce,"  lay- 
ing his  hand  on  that  gentleman's  chair,  "  I 
scarcely  expected  to  see  you  here  to-day.  Why 
aren't  you  at  the  club  spread  ?  " 

"  Cousin  Horatio !  I  suppose  he's  had  a 
paralytic  attack,"  interrupted  Mrs.  Chatterton, 
with  her  most  sagacious  air. 

"  What's  the  trouble  up  there  ?  "  queried 
Mr.  Dyce,  ignoring  the  question  thrust  at 
him. 

"  It's  the  little  beauty  —  Phronsie,"  said 
Mr.  Taylor. 


286       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  Nothing's  happened  to  that  child  I  hope !  " 
cried  Madame  Dyce,  paling. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Taylor,  you  are  not  going  to 
harrow  our  feelings  by  telling  us  anything  has 
harmed  that  lovely  creature,"  exclaimed  the 
two  young  ladies  excitedly. 

"  Phronsie  can't  be  found,"  said  Mr.  Taylor. 

"  Can't  be  found !  "  echoed  all  the  voices, 
except  Mrs.  Chatterton's.  She  ejaculated 
"  Ridiculous !  " 

Hamilton  Dyce  sprang  to  his  feet  and  threw 
down  his  napkin.  "  Excuse  me,  Miss  Taylor. 
Come,  Bayley,  now  is  the  time  to  show  our 
devotion  to  the  family.  Let  us  go  and  help 
them  out  of  this." 

Young  Baylay  jumped  lightly  up  and  stroked 
his  moustache  like  a  man  of  affairs.  "  All 
right,  Dyce.    Bon  jour,  ladies." 

"  How  easily  a  scene  is  gotton  up,"  said 
Mrs.  Chatterton,  "  over  a  naughty  little  run- 
away. I  wish  some  of  the  poor  people  in  this 
town  could  have  a  tithe  of  the  attention  that  is 
wasted  on  these  Peppers,"  she  added  virtu- 
ously. 

Madam  Dyce  turned  uneasily  in  her  seat, 


PHRONSIE   IS    FOUND  287 

and  played  with  the  almonds  on  her  plate.  "  I 
think  we  do  best  to  reserve  our  judgments," 
she  said  coolly.  "  I  don't  believe  Phronsie 
has  run  away." 

"  Of  course  she  has,"  asserted  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton,  in  that  positive  way  that  made  every- 
body hate  her  to  begin  with.  "  She  was  all 
right  this  morning  when  I  left  home.  Where 
else  is  she,  if  she  hasn't  run  away,  pray  tell?  " 

Not  being  able  to  answer  this,  no  one  at- 
tempted it,  and  the  meal  ended  in  an  uncom- 
fortable silence. 

Driving  home  a  half-hour  later,  in  a  cab 
summoned  for  that  purpose,  Mrs.  Chatterton 
threw  off  her  things,  angry  not  to  find  Hor- 
tense  at  her  post  in  the  dressing-room,  where 
she  had  been  told  to  finish  a  piece  of  sewing, 
and  not  caring  to  encounter  any  of  the  family 
in  their  present  excitement,  she  determined  to 
take  herself  off  upstairs,  where  "  I  can  kill 
two  birds  with  one  stone;  get  rid  of  every- 
body, and  find  my  box  myself,  because  of 
course  that  child  ran  away  before  she  got  it." 

So  she  mounted  the  stairs  laboriously,  count- 
ing herself  lucky  indeed  in  finding  the  upper 


288       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

part  of  the  house  quite  deserted,  and  shutting 
the  lumber-room  door  when  she  was  well 
within  it,  she  proceeded  to  open  the  door  of 
the  closet. 

"  Hortense  didn't  tell  me  there  was  a  spring 
lock  on  this  door,"  she  exclaimed,  with  an  im- 
patient pull.  "  Oh !  good  heavens."  She  had 
nearly  stumbled  over  Phronsie  Pepper's  little 
body,  lying  just  where  it  fell  when  hope  was 
lost. 

"  I  have  had  nothing  to  do  with  it,"  re- 
peated Mrs.  Chatterton  to  herself,  following 
Mr.  King  and  Jasper  as  they  bore  Phronsie 
downstairs,  her  yellow  hair  floating  from  the 
pallid  little  face.  "Goodness!  I  haven't  had 
such  a  shock  in  years.  My  heart  is  going  quite 
wildly.  The  child  probably  went  up  there  for 
something  else;  I  am  not  supposed  to  know 
anything  about  it." 

"  Is  she  dead?  "  cried  Dick,  summoned  with 
the  rest  of  the  household  by  Mrs.  Chatterton's 
loud  screams,  and  quite  beside  himself,  he 
clambered  up  the  stairs  to  get  in  every  one's 
way. 

Mrs.  Chatterton,  with  an  aimless  thrust  of 


PHRONSIE   IS   FOUND 


289 


her  long  jeweled  hands,  pushed  him  one  side. 
And  Dick  boiled  over  at  that. 

"What  are  you  here  for?"  he  cried  sav- 
agely. "  You  don't  love  her.  You  would  bet- 
ter get  out  of  the  way."  And  no  one  thought 
to  reprove  him. 

Polly  was  clinging  to  the  post  at  the  foot 
of  the  stairs.  "  I  shall  die  if  Phronsie  is  dead," 
she  said.  Then  she  looked  at  Mother  Fisher, 
waiting  for  her  baby. 

"  Give  her  to  me !  "  said  Phronsie's  mother, 
holding  out  imperative  arms. 

"  You  would  better  let  us  carry  her ;  we'll 
put  her  in  your  bed.  Only  get  the  doctor." 
Mr.  King  was  almost  harsh  as  he  endeavored 
to  pass  her.  But  before  the  words  were  over 
his  lips,  the  mother  held  her  baby. 

"  Mamsie,"  cried  Polly,  creeping  over  to  her 
like  a  hurt  little  thing,  "  I  don't  believe  but 
that  she'll  be  all  right.  God  won't  let  anything 
happen  to  our  Phronsie.  He  couldn't,  Mam- 
sie." 

Dr.  Fisher  met  them  at  the  door.  Polly 
never  forgot  the  long,  slow  terror  that  clutched 
at  her  heart  as  she  scanned  his  face  while  he 


2QX)       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

took  the  child  out  of  the  arms  that  now  yielded 
up  their  burden.  And  everything  turned  dark 
before  her  eyes  —  Was  Phronsie  dead? 

But  there  was  Mamsie.  And  Polly  caught 
her  breath,  beat  back  the  faintness  and  helped 
to  lay  Phronsie  on  the  big  bed. 

"  Clearly  I  have  had  nothing  to  do  with  it," 
said  Mrs.  Chatterton  to  herself,  stumbling  into 
a  room  at  the  other  end  of  the  hall.  But  her 
face  was  gray,  and  she  found  herself  picking 
nervously  at  the  folds  of  lace  at  her  throat. 
"  The  child  went  up  there,  as  all  children  will, 
to  explore.  I  shall  say  nothing  about  it  — 
nothing  whatever.  Oh!  how  is  she?"  grasp- 
ing blindly  at  Jasper  as  he  rushed  by  the  door. 

"  Still  unconscious  "  — 

"  Stuff  and  —  oh !  well,"  muttering  on. 
"  She'll  probably  come  to.  Children  can  bear 
a  little  confinement;  an  hour  or  two  doesn't 
matter  with  them  —  Hortense !  "  aloud,  "  bring 
me  my  sal  volatile.  Dear  me!  this  is  telling 
on  my  nerves."  She  caught  sight  of  her  face 
in  the  long  mirror  opposite,  and  shivered  to  see 
how  ghastly  it  was.  "  Where  is  the  girl  ? 
Hortense,  I  say,  come  here  this  instant !  " 


PHRONSIE   IS   FOUND 


291 


A  maid,  summoned  by  her  cries,  put  her 
head  in  the  door.  "  Hadn't  you  better  go  into 
your  own  room,  Mrs.  Chatterton?"  she  said, 
in  pity  at  the  shaking  figure  and  blanched  face. 

"  No  —  no,"  she  sharply  repulsed  her. 
"Bring  Hortense  —  where  is  that  girl?" 
she  demanded  passionately. 

"  She's  crying,"  said  the  maid,  her  own  eyes 
filling  with  tears.  "  I'll  help  you  to  your 
room." 

"Crying?"  Madam  Chatterton  shrieked. 
"  She's  paid  to  take  care  of  me ;  what  right 
has  she  to  think  of  anything  else?  " 

"  She  says  she  was  cross  to  Phronsie  once 
—  though  I  don't  see  how  she  could  be,  and  — 
and  —  now  that  she's  going  to  die,  she  "  — 
and  the  maid  burst  into  tears  and  threw  her 
apron  over  her  face. 

"  Die  —  she  sha'n't !  What  utter  nonsense 
everybody  does  talk  in  this  house !  "  Madam 
Chatterton  seized  her  arm,  the  slender  fingers 
tightening  around  the  young  muscles,  and 
shook  her  fiercely. 

The  maid  roused  by  her  pain  out  of  her 
tears   looked   in   affright   into  the   gray   face 


292 


FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


above  her.  "Let  me  go,"  she  cried.  "Oh! 
madam,  you  hurt  me." 

"  Give  me  air,"  said  Madam  Chatterton,  her 
fingers  relaxing,  and  making  a  great  effort  not 
to  fall.  "  Help  me  over  to  the  window,  and 
open  it,  girl  "  —  and  leaning  heavily  on  the 
slight  figure,  she  managed  to  get  across  the 
room. 

"  There  —  now,"  drawing  a  heavy  breath  as 
she  sank  into  a  chair  and  thrust  her  ashen 
face  out  over  the  sill,  "  do  you  go  and  find 
out  how  the  child  is.  And  come  back  and  tell 
me  at  once." 

"  Madam,  I'm  afraid  to  leave  you  alone," 
said  the  girl,  looking  at  her. 

"  Afraid  ?  I'm  not  so  old  but  that  I  can  take 
care  of  myself,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton  with  a 
short  laugh.  "  Go  and  do  as  I  tell  you,"  stamp- 
ing her  foot. 

"  Still  unconscious  "  — 

Would  no  one  ever  come  near  her  but  this 
detestable  maid,  with  her  still  more  detestable 
news?  Mrs.  Chatterton  clutched  the  window 
casing  in  her  extremity,  not  feeling  the  soft 
springy  air  as  she  gasped   for  breath.     The 


PHRONSIE   IS    FOUND  293 

maid,  too  frightened  to  leave  her,  crept  into  a 
corner  where  she  watched  and  cried  softly. 

There  was  a  stir  in  the  household  that  they 
might  have  heard,  betokening  the  arrival  of 
two  other  doctors,  but  no  word  came.  And 
darkness  settled  upon  the  room.  Still  the  fig- 
ure in  the  window  niche  held  to  its  support, 
and  still  the  maid  cried  at  her  post. 

As  the  gray  of  the  twilight  settled  over  the 
old  stone  mansion,  Phronsie  moved  on  her 
pillow. 

"  Dear  mouse,"  —  the  circle  of  watchers 
around  the  bed  moved  closer,  —  "  I'll  go  away 
when  some  one  comes  to  open  the  door." 

"  Hush !  "  Dr.  Fisher  put  his  hand  over  the 
mother's  lips. 

"  Don't  please  bite  me  very  hard.  I  won't 
come  up  again  to  your  house.  Oh!  where's 
Grandpapa?  " 

Old  Mr.  King  put  his  head  on  his  hands,  and 
sobbed  aloud. 

The  little  white  face  moved  uneasily. 

"  Grandpapa  always  comes  when  I  want 
him,"  in  piteous  tones. 

"  Father,"  said  Jasper,  laying  a  hand  on  the 


294 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


bowed  shoulders,  "  you  would  better  come  out. 
We'll  call  you  when  she  comes  to  herself." 

But  Mr.  King  gave  no  sign  of  hearing. 

A  half-hour  ticked  slowly  away,  and  Phron- 
sie  spoke  again.  "  It's  growing  dark,  and  I 
suppose  they  will  never  come.  Dear  mouse  " 
—  the  words  died  away  and  she  seemed  to 
sleep. 

"  I  shall  not  tell,"  Mrs.  Chatterton  was  say- 
ing to  herself  in  the  other  room;  "  what  good 
could  it  do  ?  Oh !  this  vile  air  is  stifling.  Will 
no  one  come  to  say  she  is  better?"  And  so 
the  night  wore  on. 

As  morning  broke,  Phronsie  opened  her  eyes, 
and  gave  a  weak  little  cry.  Polly  sprang  from 
her  knees  at  the  foot  of  the  bed,  and  stag- 
gered toward  the  child. 

"  Don't !  "  cried  Jasper,  with  a  hand  on  her 
arm. 

"  Let  her  alone,"  said  Dr.  Fisher  quickly. 

"  Oh,  Polly!  "  Phronsie  raised  herself  con- 
vulsively on  the  bed.  "  You  did  come  —  you 
did !  "  winding  her  little  arms  around  Polly's 
neck.     "  Has  the  mouse  gone?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  Polly  as  convulsively;  "  he's 


PHRONSIE  IS   FOUND  295 

all  gone,  Phronsie,  and  I  have  you  fast;  just 
see.    And  I'll  never  let  you  go  again." 

"Never?"  cried  Phronsie,  straining  to  get 
up  further  into  Polly's  arms. 

"  No,  dear ;  I'll  hold  you  close  just  as  long 
as  you  need  me." 

"  And  he  won't  come  again  ?  " 

"  He  can't  Phronsie ;  because,  you  see,  I 
have  you  now." 

"  And  the  door  will  open,  and  I'll  have 
Mamsie  and  dear  Grandpapa?" 

"  Yes,  yes,  my  precious  one,"  began  Mr. 
King,  getting  out  of  the  large  arm-chair  into 
which  they  had  persuaded  him. 

"  Don't  do  it.  Stay  where  you  are,"  said 
Dr.  Fisher,  stopping  him  half-way  across  the 
room. 

"  But  Phronsie  wants  me;  she  said  so,"  ex- 
claimed old  Mr.  King  hoarsely,  and  trying  to 
push  his  way  past  the  doctor.  "  Why,  man, 
don't  stop  me." 

Dr.  Fisher  planted  his  small  body  firmly  in 
front  of  the  old  gentleman.  You  must  obey 
me." 

Obey?     When  had   Mr.    King  heard   that 


296       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

word  addressed  to  himself.  He  drew  a  long 
breath,  looked  full  into  the  spectacled  eyes, 
then  said,  "  All  right,  Fisher ;  I  suppose  you 
know  best,"  and  went  back  to  his  arm-chair. 

"  I'm  so  tired,  Polly,"  Phronsie  was  saying, 
and  the  arms,  Polly  could  feel,  were  dropping 
slowly  from  her  neck. 

"Are  you,  Pet?  Well,  now,  I'll  tell  you 
what  we'll  do.  Let  us  both  go  to  sleep.  There, 
Phronsie,  now  you  put  your  arms  down,  so  "  — 
Polly  gave  them  a  swift  little  tuck  under  the 
bedclothes  —  "  and  I'll  get  up  beside  you,  so  " 

—  and  she  crept  on  to  the  bed  —  "  and  we'll 
both  go  right  to  '  nid-nid-nodland,'  don't  you 
know  ?  " 

"  You're  sure  you  won't  let  me  go  ?  "  whis- 
pered Phronsie,  cuddling  close,  and  feeling  for 
Polly's  neck  again. 

"Oh!  just  as  sure  as  I  can  be,"  declared 
Polly  cheerfully,  while  the  tears  rained  down 
her  cheek  in  the  darkness. 

"  I  feel  something  wet,"  said  Phronsie, 
drawing  back  one  hand.    "  What  is  it,  Polly?  " 

"Oh!   that,"  said  Polly  with  a  start.     "Oh 

—  well,  it's  —  well,  I'm  crying,  Phronsie ;   but 


PHRONSIE   IS   FOUND  297 

I'm  so  glad  —  oh !  you  don't  know  how  glad  I 
am,  sweet,"  and  she  leaned  over  and  kissed  her. 

"  If  you're  glad,"  said  Phronsie  weakly,  "  I 
don't  care.  But  please  don't  cry  if  you  are 
not  glad,  Polly." 

"  Well,  now  we're  fixed,"  said  Polly  as 
gayly  as  she  could.  "  Give  me  your  hand,  Pet. 
There,  now,  good-night." 

"  Good-night,"  said  Phronsie.  Polly  could 
feel  her  tucking  the  other  hand  under  her  cheek 
on  the  pillow,  and  then,  blessed  sound  —  the 
long  quiet  breathing  that  told  of  rest. 

"Oh!  better,  is  she?"  Mrs.  Chatterton 
looked  up  quickly  to  see  Mrs.  Whitney's  pale 
face.  "  Well,  I  supposed  she  would  be.  I 
thought  I'd  sit  here  and  wait  to  know,  since 
you  were  all  so  frightened.  But  I  knew  it 
wouldn't  amount  to  much.  Now,  girl,"  nod- 
ding over  to  the  maid  still  in  the  corner,  "  you 
may  get  me  to  bed."  And  she  stretched  her 
stiff  limbs,  and  held  out  her  hand  imperatively. 

"  It  was  very  fortunate  that  I  did  not  tell," 
she  said,  when  the  slow  passage  to  her  own 
apartments  had  been  achieved.  "  Now  if  the 
child  will  only  keep  still,  all  will  be  well." 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

THE   GIRLS   HAVE   POLLY   AGAIN. 

"  p  HRONSIE  shall  have  a  baked  apple  this 

■*■  morning,"  said  Mother  Fisher,  coming 
into  the  sunny  room  where  Phronsie  lay 
propped  up  against  the  pillows. 

"  Did  Papa-Doctor  say  so  ?  "  asked  Phron- 
sie, a  smile  of  supreme  content  spreading  over 
her  wan  little  face. 

"  Yes,  he  did,"  said  her  mother ;  "  as  nice 
an  apple,  red  and  shiny  as  we  could  find,  is 
down-stairs  baking  for  you,  Phronsie.  When 
it's  done,  Sarah  is  to  bring  it  up." 

"  That  will  be  very  nice,"  breathed  Phron- 
sie slowly.  "  And  I  want  my  little  tea-set 
—  just  the  two  cups  and  saucers  —  and  my 
own  little  pot  and  sugar-bowl.  Do  let  me, 
Mamsie,  and  you  shall  have  a  cup  of  milk 
298 


PHRONSIE   IS   FOUND 


299 


with  me,"  she  cried,  a  little  pink  color  stealing 
into  either  cheek. 

"  Yes,  yes,  child,"  said  Mother  Fisher. 
"  There,  you  mustn't  try  to  lean  forward.  I'll 
bring  the  little  table  Grandpapa  bought,  so ;  " 
she  hurried  over  across  the  room  and  wheeled 
it  into  place.  "  Now  isn't  that  fine,  Phron- 
sie?"  as  the  long  wing  swung  over  the  bed. 
"  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  tea-party  as  you 
and  I'll  have?" 

"  Breakfast  -  party,  Mamsie !  "  hummed 
Phronsie;  "isn't  that  just  lovely?"  wrig- 
gling her  toes  under  the  bed-clothes.  "  Do 
you  think  Sarah'll  ever  bring  that  apple  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed  —  why,  here  she  is  now !  " 
announced  Mrs.  Fisher  cheerily.  "  Come  in, 
Sarah,"  as  a  rap  sounded  on  the  door.  "  Our 
little  girl  is  all  ready  for  that  good  apple.  My ! 
what  a  fine  one." 

"  Bless  honey's  heart !  "  ejaculated  Sarah, 
her  black  face  shining  with  delight.  "  Ain't 
he  a  beauty,  though  ?  "  setting  down  on  the 
table-wing  a  pink  plate  in  the  midst  of  which 
reposed  an  apple  whose  crackling  skin  dis- 
closed a  toothsome  interior.     "  I  bring  a  pink 


300 


FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


sasser  so's  to  match  his  insides.  But  ain't  he 
rich,  though !  " 

"  Sarah,"  said  Phronsie,  with  hungry  eyes 
on  the  apple,  "  I  think  he  is  very  nice  indeed, 
and  I  do  thank  you  for  bringing  him." 

"  Bless  her  precious  heart !  "  cried  Sarah, 
her  hands  on  her  ample  hips,  and  her  mouth 
extended  in  the  broadest  of  smiles. 

"  Do  get  me  a  spoon,  Mamsie,"  begged 
Phronsie,  unable  to  take  her  gaze  from  the 
apple.  "  I'm  so  glad  he  has  a  stem  on,  Sarah," 
carefully  picking  at  it. 

"  Well,  there,"  said  Sarah,  "  I  had  the  great- 
est work  to  save  that  stem.  But,  la !  I  wouldn't 
'a'  brung  one  without  a  stem.  I  know'd  you'd 
want  it  to  hold  it  up  by,  when  you'd  eat  the 
most  off." 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  said  Phronsie,  in  great  satis- 
faction fondling  the  stem. 

"  And  here's  your  spoon,"  said  her  mother, 
bringing  it.  "  Now,  child,  enjoy  it  to  your 
heart's  content." 

Phronsie  set  the  spoon  within  the  cracked 
skin,  and  drew  it  out  half-full.     "  Oh,  Mam- 


PHRONSIE   IS   FOUND  301 

sie !  "  she  cried,  as  her  teeth  closed  over  it, 
"do  just  taste;   it's  so  good!" 

"  Hee-hee !  "  laughed  Sarah,  "  I  guess  'tis. 
Such  works  as  I  had  to  bake  dat  apple  just 
right.     But  he's  a  beauty,  ain't  he,  though?  " 

Phronsie  did  not  reply,  being  just  at  that 
moment  engaged  in  conveying  a  morsel  as 
much  like  her  own  as  possible,  to  her  mother's 
mouth. 

"  Seems  to  me  I  never  tasted  such  an  apple," 
said  Mother  Fisher,  slowly  swallowing  the  bit. 

"  Did  you,  now  ?  "  cried  Sarah. 

Down-stairs  Polly  was  dancing  around  the 
music-room  with  three  or  four  girls  who  had 
dropped  in  on  their  way  from  school. 

"  Give  me  a  waltz  now,  Polly,"  begged  Phi- 
lena.  "  Dear  me,  I  haven't  had  a  sight  of  you 
hardly,  for  so  long,  I  am  positively  starved 
for  you.  I  don't  care  for  you  other  girls  now," 
she  cried,  as  the  two  went  whirling  down  the 
long  room  together. 

"  Thank  you,  Miss  Philena,"  cried  the 
others,  seizing  their  partners  and  whirling  off 
too. 

"  I  feel  as  if  I  could  dance  forever,"  cried 


302 


FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


Polly,  when  Amy  Garrett  turned  away  from 
the  piano  and  declared  she  would  play  no  more 
—  and  she  still  pirouetted  on  one  foot,  to  come 
up  red  as  a  rose  to  the  group. 

"  Look  at  Polly's  cheeks !  "  cried  Amy. 

"  You've  been  a  white  little  minx  so  long," 
said  Alexia,  putting  a  fond  arm  around  Polly ; 
"  I  went  home  and  cried  every  day,  after  I 
would  steal  around  the  back  way  to  see  how 
Phronsie  was  "  — 

"  Won't  Phronsie  be  down-stairs  soon? " 
asked  Amy. 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Polly.  "  Papa-Doctor 
is  going  to  be  dreadfully  careful  of  her,  that 
she  doesn't  get  up  too  soon." 

"  Say,  Polly,"  cried  another  girl,  "  don't  you 
have  to  take  a  lot  of  pills  and  stuff,  now  that 
Dr.  Fisher  is  your  father?  " 

Polly  threw  back  her  head  and  laughed 
merrily.  It  sounded  so  strangely  to  her  to 
hear  the  sound  echoing  through  the  room  so 
long  silent,  that  she  stopped  suddenly. 

"  Oh,  girls !  I  can't  hardly  believe  even  yet 
that  Phronsie  is  almost  well,"  she  cried. 

"  Well,  you'd  better,"  advised  Alexia  philo- 


THE  GIRLS   HAVE   POLLY   AGAIN 


303 


sophically,  "  because  she  is,  you  know.  Do 
laugh  again,  Polly;    it's  good  to  hear  you." 

"  I  can't  help  it,"  said  Polly,  "  Cathie  asks 
such  a  funny  question." 

"  Cathie's  generally  a  goose,"  said  Alexia 
coolly. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Cathie,  a  tall  girl,  with 
such  light  hair  and  sallow  face  that  she  looked 
ten  years  older  than  her  fourteen  summers. 
"  I  sometimes  know  quite  as  much  as  a  few 
other  people  of  my  acquaintance,"  she  said 
pointedly. 

"  I  didn't  say  but  that  you  did,"  said  Alexia 
composedly.  "  I  said  you  were  generally  a 
goose.  And  so  you  are.  Why,  everybody 
knows  that,  Cath." 

"  Come,  come,  girls,  don't  fight,"  said 
Polly.  "  How  can  you  when  Phronsie  is  get- 
ting better?  Alexia  didn't  mean  anything, 
Cathie." 

"  Yes,  she  did,"  declared  Cathie  with  a  pout ; 
"  she's  always  meaning  something.  She's  the 
hatefullest  thing  I  ever  saw  —  so  there !  " 

"  Nonsense !  "  said  Polly,  with  a  gay  little 
laugh.      "  She  says  perfectly  dreadful  things 


304 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


to  me,  and  so  I  do  to  her,  but  we  don't  either 
of  us  mind  them." 

"  Well,  those  are  in  fun,"  said  Cathie ; 
"  that's  a  very  different  matter  "  — 

"  So  you  must  make  these  in  fun,"  said 
Polly.  "  I  would  if  I  were  you."  But  she 
drew  away  from  Alexia's  arm. 

"  Polly,  don't  be  an  idiot  and  fight  with  me," 
whispered  Alexia  in  her  ear. 

"  Go  away,"  said  Polly,  shaking  her  off. 

"  Polly,  Polly,  I'll  say  anything  if  you  won't 
look  like  that.  See  here,  Cathie,  let's  make  up," 
and  she  ran  over,  seized  the  tall  girl  by  the 
waist  and  spun  her  around  till  she  begged  to 
stop. 

"  Is  that  your  way  of  making  up  ?  "  cried 
Cathie,  when  she  had  the  breath  to  speak. 

"  Yes ;  it  is  as  good  as  any  other  way.  It 
spins  the  nonsense  out  of  you.  There!  "  with 
a  last  pat  on  the  thin  shoulder,  she  left  her,  and 
ran  back  to  Polly. 

"  It's  all  done,"  she  cried.  "  I'm  at  peace 
with  the  whole  world.  Now  don't  look  like  an 
ogre  any  longer." 

"  Phronsie's    actually   hungry   now   all   the 


THE   GIRLS   HAVE    POLLY   AGAIN 


305 


time,"  confided  Polly  in  a  glow,  "  and  we  can't 
get  enough  to  satisfy  her." 

"  Good  —  good !  "  cried  the  girls. 

"  I'm  going  to  send  her  some  of  my  orange 
jelly,"  declared  Alexia.  "I'll  make  it  just  as 
soon  as  I  go  home.  Do  you  think  she  will  like 
it,  Polly  ?  "   she  asked  anxiously. 

"  Yes,  I  do  believe  she  will,"  said  Polly, 
"  because  she  loves  oranges  so." 

"  Well,  I  sha'n't  make  any  old  orange  jelly," 
cried  Cathie,  her  nose  in  the  air.  "  Faugh !  it's 
insipid  enough !  " 

"  But  'tisn't  when  it's  made  the  way  Alexia 
makes  it,"  said  Polly,  viewing  in  alarm  the 
widening  of  the  breach  between  the  two.  "  I've 
eaten  some  of  hers,  and  it's  too  splendid  for 
anything." 

"  I  don't  know  anything  about  hers,  but  all 
orange  jelly  I  have  tasted  is  just  horrid.  I  hate 
it!  I'm  going  to  make  almond  macaroons. 
They're  lovely,  Polly." 

"Oh!  don't,  Cathie,"  begged  Polly  in 
"distress. 

"  Why  not,  pray  tell,"  whirling  on  one  set  of 


3o6       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

toes.  "  You  needn't  be  afraid  they  won't  be 
good.     I've  made  them  thousands  of  times." 

"  But  she  couldn't  eat  them,"  said  Polly. 
"  Just  think,  almond  macaroons !  Why,  Papa- 
Doctor  would  "  — 

"  Now  I  know  the  doctor  makes  you  take 
perfectly  terrible  things,  and  won't  let  you  eat 
anything.  And  macaroons  are  the  only  things 
I  can  make.  It's  a  shame !  "  and  down  sat 
Cathie  in  despair  on  an  ottoman. 

"  What's  the  matter?  "  Dr.  Fisher  put  his 
head  in  at  the  doorway,  his  spectacled  eyes 
sending  a  swift  glance  of  inquiry  around. 

"  O  dear  me !  "  exclaimed  Cathie  in  a  fright, 
jumping  up  and  clutching  the  arm  of  the  girl 
next  to  her.  "  Don't  let  Polly  tell  him  what  I 
said  —  don't." 

"  Polly  won't  tell,"  said  the  girl,  with  a 
superb  air ;  "  don't  you  know  any  better,  Cathie 
Harrison,  you  goose,  you !  " 

To  be  called  a  goose  by  two  persons  in  the 
course  of  an  hour  was  too  much  for  Cathie's  en- 
durance, and  flinging  off  the  girl's  arm,  she 
cried  out  passionately,  "I  won't  stay;  I'm 
going  home !  "   and  rushed  out  the  door. 


THE  GIRLS   HAVE   POLLY   AGAIN       307 

Dr.  Fisher  turned  from  a  deliberate  look  at 
the  girl's  white  cheeks,  as  she  ran  past,  to  the 
flushed  ones  before  him. 

"I'm  very  sorry  that  anything  unpleasant  has 
happened.  I  dropped  in  to  tell  you  of  a  little 
surprise,  but  I  see  it's  no  time  now." 

"  Oh,  Papa-Doctor !  "  cried  Polly,  flying  up 
to  him  from  the  center  of  the  group,  "  it  was 
nothing  —  only  "  — 

"  A  girl's  quarrel  is  not  a  slight  thing,  Polly," 
said  little  Dr.  Fisher  gravely,  "  and  one  of 
your  friends  has  gone  away  very  unhappy." 

"  Oh !  I  know  it,"  said  Polly,  "  and  I'm  so 
sorry." 

"  We  can't  any  of  us  help  it,"  said  Alexia 
quickly.  "  Cathie  Harrison  has  the  temper  of 
a  gorilla  —  so  there,  Doctor  Fisher." 

Dr.  Fisher  set  his  spectacles  straight,  and 
looked  at  Alexia,  but  he  did  not  even  smile,  as 
she  hoped  he  would  do.  "  I  can't  help  it,"  she 
said,  tracing  the  pattern  of  the  carpet  with  the 
toe  of  her  boot,  "  she  makes  us  all  so  uncom- 
fortable, oh!  you  can't  think.  And  I  wish 
she'd  stay  home  forever." 

Still  no  answer  from  the  doctor.     He  didn't 


308       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

act  as  if  he  heard,  but  bowing  gravely,  he  with- 
drew his  head  and  shut  the  door. 

"  O  dear,  dear !  "  cried  Alexia,  when  they 
had  all  looked  at  each  other  a  breathing  space. 
"  Why  didn't  he  speak?  I'd  much  rather  he'd 
scold  like  everything  than  to  look  like  that. 
Polly,  why  don't  you  say  something?  " 

"  Because  there  isn't  anything  to  say."  Polly 
got  no  further,  and  turned  away,  suspiciously 
near  to  tears.  Was  this  the  first  meeting  with 
the  girls  to  which  she  had  looked  forward  so 
long? 

"  To  think  of  that  Cathie  Harrison  making 
such  a  breeze,"  cried  Alexia  angrily ;  "  a  girl 
who's  just  come  among  us,  as  it  were,  and  we 
only  let  her  in  our  set  because  Miss  Salisbury 
asked  us  to  make  things  pleasant  for  her.  If  it 
had  been  any  one  else  who  raised  such  a 
fuss!" 

Meantime  Dr.  Fisher  strode  out  to  the  west 
porch,  intending  to  walk  down  to  his  office,  and 
buttoning  up  his  coat  as  he  went  along.  As  he 
turned  the  angle  in  the  drive,  he  came  suddenly 
upon  a  girl  who  had  thrown  herself  down  on  a 
rustic  seat  under  a  tree,  and  whose  shoulders 


THE   GIRLS    HAVE    POLLY   AGAIN 


309 


were  shaking  so  violently  that  he  knew  she  was 
sobbing",  though  he  heard  no  sound. 

"  Don't  cry,"  said  the  little  doctor,  "  and 
what's  the  matter?"  all  in  the  same  breath, 
and  sitting  down  beside  her. 

Cathie  looked  up  with  a  gasp,  and  then 
crushed  her  handkerchief  over  her  eyes. 
"  Those  girls  in  there  are  perfectly  horrid." 

"Softly,  softly,"  said  Dr.  Fisher. 

"  I  can't  —  help  it.  No  matter  what  I  say, 
they  call  me  names,  and  I'm  tired  of  it.  O 
dear,  dear !  " 

"  Now  see  here,"  said  the  doctor,  getting  up 
on  his  feet  and  drawing  a  long  breath.  "  I'm 
on  my  way  to  my  office;  suppose  you  walk 
along  with  me  a  bit  and  tell  me  all  about  it." 

Cathie  opened  her  mouth,  intending  to  say, 
"Oh!  I  can't"  —  instead  she  found  herself 
silent,  and  not  knowing  how,  she  was  pres- 
ently pacing  down  the  drive  by  the  doctor's 
side. 

"  Polly  Pepper !  "  exclaimed  Alexia,  as  a 
turn  in  the  drive  brought  the  two  figures  in 
view  of  the  music-room  windows,  "  did  you 
ever  see  such  a  sight  in  your  life?     Cathie  is 


3io 


FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


walking  off  with  Dr.  Fisher !  There  isn't  any- 
thing her  tongue  won't  say !  " 

"  Did  you  tell  Polly?  "  cried  Jasper,  a  half- 
hour  later,  putting  his  head  into  Dr.  Fisher's 
office.  "  Oh !  beg  pardon ;  I  didn't  know  you 
were  busy,  sir." 

"  Come  in,  said  the  doctor,  folding  up  some 
powders  methodically.  "  No,  I  didn't  tell 
Polly." 

"  Oh !  "   said  Jasper,  in  a  disappointed  tone. 

"  I  hadn't  a  fair  chance  "  — 

"  But  she  ought  to  know  it  just  as  soon  as  it's 
talked  of,"  said  Jasper,  fidgeting  at  a  case  of 
little  vials  on  the  table.  "  Oh !  beg  pardon 
again.  I'm  afraid  I've  smashed  that  chap,"  as 
one  rolled  off  to  the  floor.  "  I'm  no  end  sorry," 
picking  up  the  bits  ruefully. 

"  I  have  several  like  it,"  said  the  doctor 
kindly,  and  settling  another  powder  in  it's  little 
paper. 

"  There  were  a  lot  of  girls  with  Polly  when  I 
looked  in  upon  her  on  my  way  out.  But  we'll 
catch  a  chance  to  tell  her  soon,  my  boy." 

"  Oh !  I  suppose  so.    A  lot  of  giggling  crea- 


THE   GIRLS   HAVE   POLLY   AGAIN 


311 


tures.  How  Polly  can  stand  their  chatter,  I 
don't  see,"  cried  Jasper  impatiently. 

"  They've  been  shut  off  from  Polly  for  some 
time,  you  know,"  said  Dr.  Fisher  quietly.  "  We 
must  remember  that." 

"  Polly  doesn't  like  some  of  them  a  bit  better 
than  I  do,"  said  Jasper  explosively,  "  only  she 
puts  up  with  their  nonsense." 

"  It's  rather  a  difficult  matter  to  pick  and 
choose  girls  who  are  in  the  same  classes,"  said 
the  doctor,  "  and  Polly  sees  that." 

"  Don't  I  know  it  ?  "  exclaimed  Jasper,  in  an 
astonished  tone.  "  Dear  me,  Dr.  Fisher,  I've 
watched  Polly  for  years  now.  And  she's  al- 
ways done  so."  He  stopped  whirling  the 
articles  on  the  office  table,  and  bestowed  a  half- 
offended  look  on  the  little  physician. 

"  Softly,  softly,  Jasper,"  said  Dr.  Fisher 
composedly.  "Of  course  you've  used  your 
eyes.  Now  don't  spoil  things  by  saying  any- 
thing, but  let  Polly  '  go  her  own  gait,'  I  beg  of 
you."  Then  he  turned  to  his  powders  once  more. 

"  She  will,  any  way,"  declared  Jasper. 
"  Whatever  she  makes  up  her  mind  to  do,  Polly 
does  that  very  thing." 


312 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


"  Not  a  bad  characteristic,"  laughed  the 
doctor. 

"  I  should  say  not." 

"  Now  when  I  come  up  home  for  dinner, 
you  and  I  will  find  Polly,  and  tell  her  the  good 
news.  If  she's  with  a  lot  of  those  silly  girls, 
I'll  —  I'll  tear  her  off  this  time."  Dr.  Fisher 
glared  so  fiercely  as  he  declared  this  determina- 
tion, that  Jasper  laughed  outright. 

"  I  thought  no  one  was  to  disturb  Polly's 
good  intentions  in  that  line,"  he  cried. 

"  Well,  there's  an  end  to  all  things,  and 
patience  ceases  to  be  a  virtue  sometimes." 

"  So  I've  thought  a  good  many  times,  but 
I've  borne  it  like  a  man."  Jasper  drew  himself 
up,  and  laughed  again  at  the  doctor's  face. 

"Oh!  you  go  along,"  cried  Dr.  Fisher,  his 
eyes  twinkling.  "  I'll  meet  you  just  before 
dinner." 

"  All  right,"  as  Jasper  rushed  off. 

Dr.  Fisher  jumped  to  his  feet,  pushing  aside 
the  litter  of  powder  papers,  and  bottles,  and 
ran  his  fingers  through  the  shock  of  gray  hair 
standing  straight  on  his  head. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  he  muttered,  walking  to  the  win- 


THE   GIRLS    HAVE    POLLY   AGAIN 


313 


dow,  "  it  will  be  a  good  thing  for  Polly,  now  I 
tell  you,  Adoniram."  He  always  preferred  to 
address  himself  by  his  first  name;  then  he  was 
sure  of  a  listener.  "  A  vastly  good  thing.  It's 
quite  time  that  some  of  the  intimacies  with 
these  silly  creatures  are  broken  up  a  bit,  while 
the  child  gains  immensely  in  other  ways."  He 
rubbed  his  palms  gleefully.  "  Oh !  good-morn- 
ing, good-morning!  " 

A  patient  walking  in,  looked  up  at  the  jolly 
little  doctor.  "  I  wish  I  could  laugh  like  that," 
he  ejaculated,  his  long  face  working  in  the 
unusual  effort  to  achieve  a  smile. 

"  You  would  if  you  had  a  gay  crowd  of 
children  such  as  I  have,"  cried  the  little  doctor 
proudly.  "  Why,  man,  that's  better  than  all 
my  doses." 

"  But  I  haven't  the  children,"  said  the  patient 
sourly,  and  sitting  down  with  a  sigh. 

"  I  pity  you,  then,"  said  Dr.  Fisher,  with  the 
air  of  having  been  a  family  man  for  years. 
"  Well,  besides  owning  the  Peppers,  I'm  going 
off  with  them  to  "  —  there  he  stopped,  for  be- 
fore he  knew  it,  the  secret  was  well-nigh  out. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

PHRONSIE  IS  WELL  AGAIN. 

BUT  Polly  was  not  to  be  told  yet.  When 
Papa  Fisher  walked  in  to  dinner,  the 
merry  party  around  the  oak  table  were  waiting 
over  the  ices  and  coffee  for  his  appearance. 

"  Oh,  Papa  Fisher !  "  cried  Polly  in  dismay, 
turning  from  one  of  Alexia's  sallies,  and  drop- 
ping her  spoon.  "  Now  you're  all  tired  out  — 
too  bad!" 

Mother  Fisher  flushed  up,  and  set  her  lips 
closely  together.  Ben  looked  disapproval 
across  the  board,  and  Polly  knew  that  the 
wrong  thing  had  been  said. 

"  Oh !  I  didn't  mean  —  of  course  you  must 
take  care  of  the  sick  people,"  she  said  impul- 
sively. 

"  Yes,  I  must,"  said  Dr.  Fisher  wearily,  and 
pushing  up  the  shock  of  gray  hair  to  a  stirrer 
314 


PHRONSIE   IS    WELL   AGAIN  315 

brush  over  his  brow.  "  That's  what  I  set  out 
to  do,  I  believe." 

"  But  that's  no  reason  why  you  should  tire 
yourself  to  death,  and  break  down  the  first 
year,"  said  Mr.  King,  eying  him  sharply. 
"  Zounds,  man,  that  isn't  what  I  brought  you 
up  from  the  country  for." 

Dr.  Fisher  looked  into  his  wife's  eyes  and 
smiled.  "  I  believe  you  brought  me,"  the  smile 
said.    But  he  kept  his  tongue  still. 

"  And  you  must  get  accustomed  to  seeing 
suffering  that  you  can't  help.  Why,  man  alive, 
the  town's  full  of  it;  you  can't  expect  to  stop 
it  alone." 

"  I'll  do  what  I  can  to  help,"  said  the  little 
doctor  between  his  teeth,  and  taking  a  long 
draught  of  the  coffee  his  wife  put  by  his  plate. 
"  I  suppose  there's  no  objection  to  that.  Now, 
that's  good,"  smaking  his  lips  in  a  pleased 
way. 

"Of  course  not,  if  you  help  in  the  right 
way,"  said  old  Mr.  King  stoutly,  "but  I'll 
wager  anything  that  you're  picking  up  all  sorts 
of  odd  jobs  among  the  poor,  that  belong  to  the 
young   doctors.      Your   place   is    considerably 


3i6       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

higher,  where  you  can  pick  and  choose  your 
v.  patients." 

Dr.  Fisher  laughed  —  an  odd  little  laugh, 
that  along  with  its  pleasant  note,  carried  the 
ring  of  a  strong  will. 

"  Oh !  well,  you  know,  I'm  too  old  to  learn 
new  ways,"  he  said.  "  Better  let  me  wag  on  at 
the  old  ones." 

Mr.  King  gave  an  exclamation  of  disap- 
proval. "  It's  lucky  your  time  is  short,"  he 
said  grimly,  and  the  secret  was  nearly  out ! 

"  Phronsie  is  coming  downstairs  to-morrow, 
isn't  she  ?  "  asked  Jasper  quickly,  over  to  the 
doctor. 

"  Oh !  no,  indeed,  I  think  not,"  answered 
Mr.  King  before  Dr.  Fisher  had  time  to  reply. 
"  She  would  better  wait  a  day  or  two  longer. 
Isn't  that  so,  Doctor  ?  "  at  last  appealing  to 
him. 

"  I  don't  agree  with  you,"  the  little  doctor 
drew  off  his  attention  from  his  plate.  "  You 
see  she  has  regained  her  strength  remarkably. 
Now  the  quicker  she  is  in  the  family  life  again, 
the  better  for  her." 

"  Oh,  good !    good !  "    cried  Polly,  delighted 


PHRONSIE  IS   WELL  AGAIN 


3J7 


at  the  safe  withdrawal  from  the  precipice  of 
dangerous  argument.  "  Alexia,  now  you  must 
help  us  think  up  something  to  celebrate  her 
coming  downstairs." 

"Not  so  fast,  Polly."  The  little  doctor 
beamed  at  her  in  a  way  surprising  to  see  after 
the  morning's  affair.  "  Phronsie  won't  be 
ready  for  any  celebration  before  next  week. 
Then  I  think  you  may  venture." 

Alexia  pouted  and  played  with  her  spoon. 

"O  dear!"  cried  Dick  dolefully,  "what's 
the  reason  we  must  wait  a  whole  week,  pray 
tell?" 

"Because  Father  Fisher  says  so,"  replied 
Ben  across  the  table ;  "  that's  the  principal 
reason  —  and  it  doesn't  need  any  more  to  sup- 
port it  "  — 

"Well,  I  tell  you,"  broke  in  Polly  in  her 
brightest  way,  "  let  us  think  up  perfectly  splen- 
did things.  It's  best  as  it  is,  for  it  will  take  us 
a  week  to  get  ready." 

"  I  shall  get  her  a  new  doll,"  declared  Mr. 
King.  The  rest  shouted.  "  Her  others  must 
fre  quite  worn  out." 

"  What  could  you  get  her,"  cried  Mr.  Whit- 


318       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

ney,  "  in  the  way  of  a  doll  ?  Do  tell  us,  for  I 
really  do  not  see." 

"  Why,  one  of  those  phonograph  dolls,  to  be 
sure,"  cried  Mr.  King  promptly. 

"  Are  they  on  sale  yet  ?  "  asked  Jasper.  "  I 
thought  they  had  not  perfected  them  enough 
for  the  market." 

"  I  think  I  know  where  one  can  be  bought," 
said  his  father.  "  They  must  be  perfected  — 
it's  all  nonsense  that  I  can't  find  one  if  Phron- 
sie  wants  it !  Yes,  she  shall  have  a  phonograph 
doll." 

"  That  will  be  perfectly  elegant,"  exclaimed 
Polly,  with  sparkling  eyes.  "  Won't  Phronsie 
be  delighted  when  she  hears  it  talk  ?  " 

"  She  ought  to  have  a  Punch  and  Judy 
show,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney,  "  she's  always  so 
pleased  with  them,  father." 

Mr.  King  pushed  away  his  coffee-cup,  and 
pulled  out  his  note-book. 

"  '  Punch  and  Judy,'  down  that  goes,"  he 
said,  noting  it  after  "  phonograph  doll." 
"What  else?" 

"  Can't  we  have  some  of  those  boys  up  from 
the  Orphan  Asylum  ?  "    asked  Polly,  after  a 


PHRONSIE   IS   WELL   AGAIN 


319 


minute  in  which  everybody  had  done  a  bit  of 
hard  thinking.  "  Phronsie  loves  to  hear  them 
sing  when  she  goes  there.  Oh!  they  are  so 
cunning." 

"  She'll  want  to  give  them  her  best  toys  and 
load  them  down  with  all  her  possessions.  You 
see  if  she  doesn't,"  warned  Jasper. 

"  Well,  she  won't  give  away  her  new  doll, 
anyway,"  cried  Polly. 

"  No,  she  never  gives  away  one  of  the  dolls 
you've  given  her,  father,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney 
slowly,  "not  a  single  one.  I  tried  her  one  day, 
asking  her  to  give  me  one  to  bestow  on  a  poor 
child,  and  she  quite  reproached  me  by  the  look 
in  her  brown  eyes.    I  haven't  asked  her  since." 

"  What  did  she  say  ? "  asked  Mr.  King 
abruptly. 

"  '  I  can't,  Aunty ;  dear  Grandpapa  gave 
them  to  me  himself.'  Then  she  ran  for  her 
savings  bank,  and  poured  out  the  money  in  my 
lap.  '  Let's  go  out  and  buy  the  poor  child  a 
doll,'  she  begged,  and  I  really  had  to  do  it. 
And  there  must  be  at  least  two  hundred  dolls 
in  this  house." 


320       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  Two  hundred  dolls !  "  cried  Alexia  in  as- 
tonishment, and  raising  her  hands. 

"  Why,  yes;  father  has  been  bringing  Phro- 
sie  dolls  for  the  last  five  years,  with  the  greatest 
faithfulness,  till  her  family  has  increased  to  a 
painful  extent." 

"O  dear  me!"  cried  Alexia,  with  great 
emphasis.  "  I  should  think  they'd  be  under 
foot  in  every  room." 

"  Well,  indeed  they're  not,"  said  Polly ; 
"  she  keeps  them  up  in  her  playroom." 

"  And  the  playroom  closet,"  said  Mrs.  Whit- 
ney, "  that  is  full.  I  peeped  in  there  yesterday, 
and  the  dolls  are  ranged  according  to  the  times 
when  father  gave  them  to  her." 

"  And  the  baby-house  is  just  crowded," 
laughed  Jasper.  "  I  know,  because  I  saw  her 
moving  out  her  chairs  and  tables  to  make 
room." 

"  O  dear  me !  "  exclaimed  Alexia  again,  for 
want  of  something  else  to  say. 

"  I  just  hate  dolls,"  exploded  Dick. 
"  Faugh !  how  can  girls  play  with  them ; 
they're  so  silly.  And  Phronsie  always  has 
something  to  do  for  hers,  so  she  can't  come 


PHRONSIE   IS    WELL   AGAIN 


321 


when  I  want  her  to.  I  wish  they  were  burnt 
up,"  he  added  vindictively. 

Mr.  King  rubbed  his  forehead  in  a  puzzled 
way.  "  Perhaps  she  has  enough,"  he  said  at 
last.  "  Yet  what  shall  I  give  her  if  I  don't  buy 
a  doll?" 

"  I'd  give  her  the  phonograph  one,  father," 
said  Mrs.  Whitney,  "  anyway." 

"  Yes,  of  course ;  but  after  that,  what  shall 
I  do?" 

He  looked  so  troubled  that  Mrs.  Whitney 
hastened  to  say,  "  Oh,  well,  father !  you  know 
when  you  are  abr "  —  and  the  secret  was 
nearly  out  for  the  second  time ! 

But  they  were  saved  by  the  appearance  of 
Alexia's  father,  who  often  dropped  in  on  the 
edge  of  the  dinner  hour,  for  a  second  cup  of 
coffee. 

The  next  morning  Phronsie  was  waiting  for 
Grandpapa  King,  who  insisted  that  no  one  else 
should  carry  her  down  stairs,  the  remainder  of 
the  household  in  various  stages  of  delight  and 
expectation,  revolving  around  her,  and  curbing 
their  impatience  as  best  they  might,  in  hall  and 
on  staircase. 


322 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


"Oh,  Grandpapa!  do  hurry,"  begged  Dick, 
.     kicking  his  heels  on  the  stairs. 

"  Hush,  Dicky  boy,"  said  mamma.  "  Grand- 
papa can't  come  till  his  agent  is  gone.  Don't 
you  hear  them  talking  in  the  library?  " 

"  Well  I  wish  Mr.  Frazer  would  take  himself 
off;  he's  a  nuisance,"  declared  the  boy.  "  He's 
been  here  a  whole  hour." 

"  Here  comes  Grandpapa !  "  announced 
Polly  gleefully,  from  a  station  nearer  the 
library.     "  Hush,  now,  Mr.  Frazer's  going !  " 

The  library  door  opening  at  this  announce- 
ment, and  a  few  sentences  charged  with  busi- 
ness floating  up  the  staircase,  the  bustle  around 
Phronsie  became  joyfully  intense. 

"  Mamsie,  don't  you  think  she  ought  to  have 
a  shawl  on  ?  "  cried  Polly  anxiously,  running 
over  the  stairs.    "  She's  been  shut  up  so  long!  " 

"  No,"  said  Mother  Fisher.  "  Doctor  told 
me  particularly  not  to  bundle  her  up.  It  was 
the  last  thing  he  said  before  he  went  to  his 
office." 

"  Well,"  said  Polly  with  a  sigh,  "  then  there 
isn't  absolutely  anything  more  to  do  for  her. 
Why  doesn't  Grandpapa  come  ?  " 


PHRONSIE  IS   WELL  AGAIN 


323 


"  You  are  worse  than  Dicky,"  said  Mrs. 
Fisher  with  a  little  laugh.  "  Dear  me,  Polly, 
just  think  how  old  you  are." 

Phronsie  stood  quite  still  in  the  middle  of  the 
floor  and  folded  her  hands.  "  I  want  to  see 
Grandpapa  all  alone  when  he  comes  up,"  she 
said. 

"  What  for?  "  cried  Polly,  pausing  in  aston- 
ishment. 

"  Do  you  want  us  all  to  go  out,  Phronsie?  " 
asked  her  mother  slowly. 

"  Yes,"  said  Phronsie,  shaking  her  yellow 
head  with  great  decision,  "  please  every  single 
one  go  out,  Mamsie.  I  want  to  see  Grandpapa 
quite  alone." 

"  All  right,  child,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher,  with  a 
look  at  Polly.  So  after  a  little  demur  and  con- 
sequent delay  on  the  part  of  the  others,  the  door 
was  closed  and  she  was  left  standing  alone. 

Phronsie  drew  a  long  breath.  "  I  wish 
Grandpapa  would  come,"  she  said  to  herself. 

"And  so  you  wanted  me,  did  you,  dear?" 
cried  Mr.  King  joyfully,  as  he  hurried  in  and 
closed  the  door  carefully.  "  Well,  now,  see  if 
I  can  guess  what  you  want  to  tell  me." 


324 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


"  Grandpapa,"  said  Phronsie,  standing  quite 
still  and  turning  a  puzzled  face  toward  him, 
"  I  don't  want  to  tell  you  anything ;  I  want  to 
ask  you  something." 

"Well,  well,  dear,  what  is  it?"  Old  Mr. 
King,  not  stopping  for  a  chair,  leaned  over  her 
and  stroked  her  yellow  head.  "  Now,  then, 
look  up,  and  ask  me  right  off,  Phronsie." 

"Must  a  person  keep  a  promise?"  asked 
Phronsie,  "  a  really  and  truly  promise,  Grand- 
papa? " 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  the  old  gentleman  with 
great  abruptness,  "  to  be  sure  one  must,  Phron- 
sie. To  be  sure.  So  now  if  any  one  has 
promised  you  anything,  do  you  make  him  stick 
to  it.  It's  mean  enough  to  break  your  word, 
child." 

Phronsie  drew  a  long  breath. 

"  That's  all,  Grandpapa,"  she  said,  and  lift- 
ing up  her  arms ;  "  now  take  me  downstairs, 
please."  She  laid  a  cool  little  cheek  against 
his,  as  he  raised  her  to  his  shoulder. 

"  Remember  what  I  say,  Phronsie,"  laughed 
Mr.  King,  his  mind  more  intent  on  the  delight- 
ful fact  that  he  was  carrying  down  the  longed- 


PHRONSIE   IS    WELL   AGAIN  325 

for  burden  to  the  family  life,  than  on  what  he 
was  saying,  "  and  if  any  one  has  promised  you 
anything,  keep  him  up  sharp  to  pay  you.  I 
verily  believe  it  is  that  scamp  Dick.  Here 
goes !  "  and  reaching  the  door  he  threw  it 
wide.     "  Forward,  march !  " 

"Well,  is  the  important  conference  over?" 
asked  Polly,  with  a  keen  look  at  them  both. 

Mrs.  Fisher's  eyes  did  their  duty,  but  she 
said  nothing. 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  declared  Mr.  King,  marching 
on  gaily.  "  Now  clear  the  way  there,  all  you 
good  people.  Here,  you  Dick,  drumming  your 
heels,  go  ahead,  sir." 

"  I'm  glad  enough  to,"  shouted  Dick,  racing 
down  the  remainder  of  the  stairs.  "  Halloo, 
Phronsie,"  waving  his  hand  at  her,  "  three 
cheers  and  a  tiger !  Bother !  Here  comes  Mrs. 
Chatterton." 

Which  was  quite  true.  To  every  one's  aston- 
ishment the  door  of  that  lady's  apartment 
opened  slowly,  disclosing  her  in  new  morning 
wrapper,  preparing  to  join  the  cavalcade. 

"  Good  morning,  Cousin  Eunice,"  cried  Mr. 
King  gaily.     He  could  be  merry  with  any  one 


326       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

this  day.  "  Come  on,  this  is  a  festal  occasion, 
you  see;  Phronsie's  going  down  stairs  for  the 
first  time.     Fall  into  line !  " 

"  I'm  not  able  to  go  down,"  said  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton,  coming  slowly  out  into  the  hall,  "  but  I'll 
stand  here  and  see  the  parade." 

"  Bully !  "  exploded  Dick  softly,  peering  up 
from  the  foot  of  the  stairs. 

Phronsie  looked  over  Mr.  King's  shoulder  at 
her  as  she  was  borne  down  the  stairs,  and,  put- 
ting out  her  hand,  "  I'm  all  well  now,"  she  said. 

"  Yes,  I  see,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton.  Then 
she  pulled  up  her  white  shawl  with  a  shiver. 
"  It's  rather  cold  here,"  she  said ;  "  after  all,  I 
believe  I  must  get  back  to  my  room." 

Nobody  noticed  when  she  crept  back,  the 
hilarity  now  being  so  great  below  stairs. 

"  I  certainly  am  losing  ground,"  she  mut- 
tered, "  every  little  thing  affects  me  so.  I'll 
step  into  Bartram's  office  next  time  I  go  down 
town  and  set  that  little  matter  straight,  since 
I've  made  up  my  mind  to  do  it.  It  never  would 
do  to  let  him  come  to  the  house.  Horatio 
would  suspect  something  to  see  my  lawyer  here, 
and  the  whole  household  imagine  I  was  going 


PHRONSIE  IS   WELL  AGAIN 


327 


to  die  right  off.  No,  no;  I  must  go  there, 
that's  clear.  Then  if  it's  attended  to,  I'll  live 
all  the  longer,  with  nothing  on  my  mind." 

Phronsie,  meanwhile,  was  going  around  from 
room  to  room  in  a  pleased  way,  and  touching 
different  objects  gently.  "  Everything's  new, 
isn't  it,  Polly,"  she  said  at  last,  "  when  you 
stay  upstairs?  Oh!  there's  my  kittens  in  the 
basket,"  pointing  to  a  bisque  vase  on  the  table. 

"  Yes,"  said  Polly;  "  Mamsie  brought  it  in 
here.  And  we've  some  flowers;  Alexia  sent 
them  over.  They're  out  in  the  back  hall;  we 
saved  them  for  you  to  put  in  yourself." 

"  Oh !  "  exclaimed  Phronsie,  "  that's  so  good 
in  you,  Polly." 

"  Don't  stop  now,"  cried  Dick  in  disgust. 
"  Faugh !  you  can  fix  flowers  any  time.  Come 
out  into  the  dining-room  —  and  you'll  see 
something  like." 

Phronsie  smothered  a  sigh,  and  turned  slowly 
away  from  the  kittens  waiting  in  their  basket 
for  Alexia's  flowers.  "  Come  on !  "  shouted 
Dick,  seizing  her  hand.  "  You  never  can  guess 
what  it  is,  in  all  this  world." 

"Is  it  a  new  dog?"    asked  Phronsie  fear- 


328       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

fully,  whose  memory  of  Dick's  latest  purchase 
was  not  altogether  happy. 

"  No,"  said  Dick,  pulling  her  on,  "  better 
than  that." 

"  Don't  hurry  her  so,"  said  Polly.  "  What 
have  you  got,  Dick  ?  " 

"  Now,  do  you  mind,  sir,"  cried  Jasper, 
"  else  we'll  stop  your  pretty  plan." 

"  I  won't  hurry  her,"  said  Dick,  slackening 
his  gait.  "  Well,  here  we  are,"  opening  the 
dining-room  door.  "  Why,  Jane  has  let  it 
out!" 

Phronsie  fell  back  a  step  at  this  and  tried  to 
cover  her  feet  with  her  gown,  searching  the 
floor  for  the  "  it." 

"  Lookout !  "  cried  Dick  suddenly.  "  There 
he  goes ! "  And  something  whirred  over 
Phronsie's  head. 

"  Oh !  what  is  it  ?  "  she  cried,  tumbling  into 
Jasper's  arms  and  clasping  his  neck.  "  Oh ! 
oh!" 

"  Why,  it's  a  swallow,"  cried  Dick,  in  the 
babel  that  ensued,  "  a  beautiful  one,  too.  I've 
just  caught  him,  and  I  made  Jane  let  me  bring 
it  in  here  to  surprise  you,"  he  added  proudly. 


PHRONSIE   IS   WELL   AGAIN 


329 


"  Well,  you've  succeeded,"  cried  Jasper, 
holding  Phronsie  close.  "  There,  there,  child, 
it's  all  right.  It's  a  bird,  Phronsie,  and  he's 
gone  upstairs." 

"  He'll  frighten  my  dolls,"  cried  Phronsie  in 
new  alarm,  hanging  to  Jasper's  neck.  "  Oh ! 
do  let  us  go  upstairs,  and  tell  them  he's  only  a 
bird." 

"  Run  along,  Dick,  and  catch  your  old  bird," 
cried  Jasper,  "  and  clear  out  with  him  —  quick 
now ! " 

"  He's  the  best  thing  there  is  in  this  house," 
cried  Dick,  going  over  the  back  stairs  two  at  a 
time.    "Girls  are  so  silly." 

"  Bring  him  down,"  said  Polly,  moving  along 
to  the  foot,  "and  I'll  show  him  to  Phronsie, 
and  tell  her  about  him.  Then  she'll  like  him, 
Dick." 

"  I'll  like  him,  Dick,"  echoed  Phronsie,  "  if 
he  doesn't  frighten  my  dolls." 

This  episode  taking  the  family  life  to  the 
rear  of  the  house,  no  one  noticed  that  soft 
footsteps  were  passing  through  the  open  front 
door,  that  Jane,  who  was  sweeping  the  vesti- 
bule, had  left  ajar  to  run  and  tell  Dick  that  she 


330       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

had  not  let  the  bird  out  of  the  dining-room. 
So  the  uninvited  guest  to  the  household  let  him- 
self up  easily  to  the  scene  of  his  hopes  —  the 
location  of  the  ladies'  jewel-boxes. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  SECRET. 

]\/[RS.  CHATTERTON  standing  by  her 
-*■*•*■  toilet  table,  carefully  examining  her 
wealth  of  gray  hair  to  note  the  changes  in  its 
tint,  was  suddenly  surprised  in  the  very  act  of 
picking  out  an  obnoxious  white  hair,  by  a  slight 
noise  in  the  further  corner  of  the  apartment. 
And  dropping  her  fingers  quickly  and  turning 
away  from  the  glass,  she  exclaimed,  "  How 
dare  you,  Hortense,  come  in  without  knock- 
ing?" 

"  If  you  make  a  noise  I'll  kill  you,"  de- 
clared a  man,  standing  in  the  shadow  of 
a  portiere  and  watching  her  underneath  a 
slouched  black  hat.  There  was  a  slight  click 
that  caused  the  listener's  nerves  to  thrill.  But 
her  varied  life  had  brought  her  nothing  if  not 
33i 


33^ 


FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


self-control,  and  she  coolly  answered,  "If  you 
want  my  money,   say  so." 

"  Not  exactly  money,  ma'am,"  said  the  man, 
"  for  I  don't  suppose  you  have  much  here. 
But  I'll  thank  you  to  hand  over  that  there 
box  of  diamonds."  He  extended  the  other  hand 
with  its  dingy  fingers  toward  a  large  ebony 
jewel-case  elaborate  with  its  brass  hinges,  and 
suggestive  of  double  locks,  on  a  corner  of  the 
table. 

"If  you  are  determined  to  take  it,  I  sup- 
pose I  must  give  it  to  you,"  said  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton,  with  evident  reluctance  handing  the 
box  designated,  very  glad  to  think  she  had 
but  a  few  days  before  changed  the  jewels  to 
another  repository  to  escape  Hortense's  pry- 
ing eyes.  In  making  the  movement  she  gave 
a  sweeping  glance  out  the  window.  Should 
she  dare  to  scream  ?  Michael  was  busy  on  the 
lawn,  she  knew ;  she  could  hear  his  voice  talk- 
ing to  one  of  the  under  gardeners. 

"  See  here,  old  lady,"  warned  the  man,  "  you 
keep  your  eyes  in  the  room.  Now  then,"  his 
greedy  glance  fastened  on  the  glittering  gems 
on  her  fingers,   "  I'll  thank  you  to  rip  them 


THE   SECRET 


333 


things  off."  Dick,  racing  along  the  further 
end  of  the  hall  after  his  bird  with  a  "  Whoop, 
la  —  I've  almost  caught  you,"  startling  him, 
he  proceeded  to  perform  the  service  for  him- 
self. 

"  There  he  goes !  "  cried  Dick,  "  in  her  room. 
Bother!  Well,  I  must  catch  him."  So  with- 
out the  preamble  of  knocking,  the  boy  dashed 
into  the  dressing-room.  The  bird  whizzing 
ahead  of  him,  flashed  between  the  drawn  folds 
of  the  portiere. 

"  Excuse  me,"  cried  Dick,  rushing  in,  "  but 
my  swallow  —  oh !  " 

"  Go  back !  "  cried  Mrs.  Chatterton  hoarsely, 
"you'll  be  killed." 

The  bird  flying  over  his  head,  and  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  boy,  disconcerted  the  robber 
for  one  instant.  He  held  the  long  white  hand 
in  his,  tearing  off  the  rings.  There  was  no 
chance  for  her  to  escape,  she  knew,  but  she 
could  save  Dick. 

"  Go  back !  "  she  screamed  again.  There  was 
only  a  moment  to  think,  but  Dick  dashed  in, 
and  with  a  mighty  spirit,  but  small  fists,  he 


334 


FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


flung  himself  against  the  stalwart  arms  and 
shoulders. 

"  0  heavens !  "  screamed  Mrs.  Chatterton. 
"  He's  but  a  boy,  let  him  go.  You  shall  have 
the  rings.     Help  —  help !  " 

Dick,  clutching  and  tearing  blindly  at  what- 
ever in  the  line  of  hair  or  ragged  garment 
he  could  lay  hold  of,  was  waging  an  unequal 
warfare.  But  what  he  did,  was  accomplished 
finely.  And  the  bird,  rushing  blindly  into  the 
midst  of  the  contention,  with  whirrings  and 
flappings  indescribable,  helped  more  than  an 
army  of  servants,  to  confuse  the  man.  Not- 
withstanding, it  was  soon  over,  but  not  before 
Mrs.  Chatterton  had  wrenched  her  fingers  free, 
and  grasped  the  pistol  from  its  loose  hold  in 
his  other  hand.  The  box  under  his  arm  fell 
to  the  floor,  and  Dick  was  just  being  tossed 
to  the  other  side  of  the  room;  she  could  hear 
him  strike  the  cheval-glass  with  a  dull  thud. 

"  I  can  shoot  as  well  as  you,"  said  Mrs. 
Chatterton,  handling  the  pistol  deftly.  "  Make 
a  noise,  and  I  will." 

He  knew  it,  by  her  eyes,  and  that  she  had 
taken  good  aim. 


THE   SECRET  335 

"  Where  are  you,  Dick?  "  cried  Polly's  voice 
outside,  and  rapping  at  the  door.  "  Mrs. 
Chatterton,  have  you  seen  him  ?  " 

"  Come  in,"  called  Mrs.  Chatterton,  with 
firmest  of  fingers  on  the  trigger  and  her  flash- 
ing eyes  fastened  upon  the  seamed,  dirty  face 
before  her. 

Polly  threw  wide  the  door. 

"  We  have  a  man  here  that  we  don't  want," 
said  Mrs.  Chatterton.  "  I'll  take  care  of  him 
till  you  get  help.     Hurry !  " 

"  Oh,  Dick !  "  cried  Polly  in  a  breath,  with 
a  fearful  glance  at  the  boy  lying  there. 

"  I  think  he's  all  right,  Polly."  She  dared 
say  no  more,  for  Dick  had  not  stirred. 

Polly  clasped  her  hands,  and  rushed  out 
almost  into  Jasper's  face.  "  A  burglar  —  a 
burglar !  "  and  he  dashed  into  Mrs.  Chatterton's 
room. 

"  Don't  interfere,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton, 
"  I'm  a  splendid  markswoman." 

"  You  needn't  shoot,"  said  the  man  sullenly, 
"  I  won't  stir." 

"  No,  I  don't  think  you  will,"  said  the  gray- 


336       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

haired  woman,  her  eyes  alight,  and  hand  firm 
as  a  rock.     "  Well,  here  are  the  men." 

Jasper  had  seized  a  table-spread,  and  as 
Michael  and  the  undergardeners  advanced,  he 
went  back  of  the  robber,  and  cleverly  threw  it 
over  his  head.  It  was  easy  to  secure  and  bind 
him  then.     Polly  rushed  over  to  Dick. 

"  Turn  the  creature  over  and  let  us  see  how 
he  looks,"  said  Mr.  King,  hurrying  in  as  the 
last  knot  of  the  rope  was  made  fast.  The 
old  slouched  hat  had  fallen  off  in  the  struggle, 
and  the  man's  features  came  plainly  to  view. 
"  He's  no  beauty,  and  that's  a  fact." 

"  I've  seen  that  fellow  round  here  for  mony 
a  day,"  said  Michael,  giving  the  recumbent 
legs  a  small  kick.  "  Oncet  he  axed  me  ef  we 
wanted  ony  wourk  done.  I  mind  yees,  yer 
see,"  with  another  attention  from  his  garden- 
ing boot. 

"  I  want  to  tie  one  rope,"  cried  a  voice. 
Dick  opened  his  eyes,  rubbed  them,  and  felt 
of  his  head.  "  I'm  all  right,  Polly.  I  saw 
stars,  but  I've  got  over  it,  I  guess.  Let  me 
give  him  the  last  knot."  He  staggered  blindly 
to  his  feet. 


THE   SECRET 


337 


"  I'll  tie  for  you,"  said  Jasper,  "  trust  me. 
Dick's  all  right,  only  stunned,"  he  telegraphed 
to  the  rapidly  increasing  group. 

"  Tell  his  mother  so,  do,  somebody,"  said 
old  Mr.  King. 

"  Well,  Cousin  Eunice,  you've  covered  your- 
self with  glory,"  he  turned  on  her  warmly. 
She  had  thrown  aside  the  pistol,  and  now 
sank  into  a  chair. 

"  Never  mind,"  she  waved  it  off  carelessly, 
"  I'll  imagine  the  compliments.  Just  now  I 
want  a  glass  of  wine.  Call  Hortense,  will 
you?" 

The  man  on  the  floor  tried  to  raise  his 
head.  But  he  couldn't,  so  was  obliged  to 
content  himself  with  an  ugly  grin. 

"  That  bird  has  flown,"  he  said.  "  I'll  peep. 
She  put  me  up  to  it;  we  was  goin'  shares  on 
the  old  lady's  stuff." 

With  that  Mrs.  Chatterton's  spirit  returned. 
She  sprang  from  her  chair,  and  rushed  around 
from  bureau  to  closet  to  see  the  extent  of  her 
maid's  dishonesty.  But  beyond  a  few  minor 
deficiencies  of  her  wardrobe,  there  was  no 
robbery  to  speak  of.     Evidently  Hortense  had 


338       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

considered  it  unwise  to  be  burdened  with  much 
impedimenta.  So  the  robber  was  hauled  off  to 
justice,  and  Phronsie,  coming  wonderingly  up 
the  stairs,  came  softly  in  upon  them,  in  time 
to  see  Dick  rush  up  to  Mrs.  Chatterton  with 
a  "  You're  a  brick !  "  before  them  all. 

After  that,  there  was  no  more  hope  of 
keeping  things  quiet  in  the  house  for  Phron- 
sie's  sake.  Meanwhile  the  bird,  who  had  played 
no  mean  part  in  the  engagement,  now  asserted 
himself,  and  blindly  rushed  into  capture. 

"  Isn't  he  lovely !  "  cried  Phronsie,  tearing 
her  gaze  off  from  the  wonderful  wings,  as 
the  swallow  fluttered  under  the  mosquito  net- 
ting speedily  brought  in. 

"  Yes,  his  wings  are,"  said  Polly.  "  Oh, 
Dick!   do  tell  over  again  how  it  all  happened." 

So  Dick  rehearsed  once  more  as  far  as  he 
knew  the  story,  tossing  off  lightly  his  part 
of  it. 

"  Your  poor  head,  does  it  ache  ?  "  cried 
,    Polly,  feeling  of  the  big  bump  on  the  crown. 

"  No,  not  a  bit,"  declared  Dick,  shaking 
his  brown  poll.  "  I'm  glad  I  didn't  crack  the 
glass." 


THE  SECRET 


339 


"  That  heavy  plate  ?  "  cried  Polly,  looking 
over  at  the  cheval-glass  with  a  shiver. 

Phronsie  deserted  the  fascinating  bird,  and 
began  to  smooth  Dick's  head  with  both  hands. 

"  Do  let  me  bathe  it,"  she  begged.  "  I'll  get 
the  Pond's  Extract." 

"No,  I  won't,"  said  Dick.  "It  smells 
awfully,  and  I've  had  so  much  of  it  for  my 
leg.  I'm  all  right,  Phronsie.  See  his  wings 
now  —  he's  stretching." 

But  Phronsie  was  not  to  be  diverted  from 
her  purpose. 

"  I'll  get  Bay  Rum,"  she  said.     "  May  I?  " 

Dick  made  a  wry  face.    "  .Worse  and  worse." 

"  Cologne,  then." 

"  No,  I  hate  it." 

"  He  doesn't  want  it  bathed,  Phronsie  dear," 
said  Polly.  "  Boys  like  to  get  hurt,  you  know. 
'Tisn't  manly  to  be  fixed  up." 

Phronsie  gave  a  sigh,  which  so  went  to 
Dick's  heart,  that  he  said,  "  All  right,  bring  on 
some  water  if  you  want  to.  But  don't  you  get 
any  brown  paper ;  I  had  enough  of  that  when 
I  was  a  boy." 

And  at  the  end  of  that  exciting  day,  the 


34Q 


FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


secret  came  out,  after  all,  in  rather  a  tame 
fashion.  Dr.  Fisher  and  Jasper  met  Polly  in 
an  angle  of  the  hall,  as  she  was  running  up- 
stairs after  dinner  for  her  schoolbooks. 

"  Polly,"  asked  the  little  doctor,  putting  both 
hands  on  her  shoulders,  and  looking  into  the 
brown  eyes,  "  should  you  be  willing  to  go 
abroad  with  your  mother  and  Phronsie,  Mr. 
King  and  Jasper?  " 

"Oh!"  Polly  gasped.  "But  you?"  came 
in  a  later  breath,  "  we  couldn't  leave  you,"  she 
cried  loyally. 

"  Well,  I  suppose  I  should  go  along  too," 
said  the  little  doctor,  enjoying  her  face. 

"Why,  Jasper  Elyot  King!"  cried  Polly, 
slipping  out  from  under  the  doctor's  palms, 
and  seizing  the  two  hands  extended,  she  began 
to  spin  around  as  in  the  olden  days,  "  did  you 
ever,  ever  hear  of  anything  so  perfectly  mag- 
nificent! But  Ben  and  Joel  and  Davie!  "  and 
she  paused  on  the  edge  of  another  pirouette. 

Dr.  Fisher  made  haste  to  answer,  "  Polly, 
Mrs.  Whitney  will  take  care  of  them."  And 
Jasper  led  her  off  into  the  dance  again. 

"  How  can  we  ever  leave  the  boys !    Oh !   I 


THE   SECRET 


341 


don't  see,"  cried  Polly,  a  bit  reproachfully, 
her  hair  blown  over  her  rosy  cheeks.  As  they 
danced  lightly  down  the  long  hall,  Dr.  Fisher 
leaned  against  a  pillar,  and  watched  them. 

"  Have  to,"  said  Jasper,  guiding  his  partner 
deftly  in  the  intricacies  of  the  chairs  and  stat- 
uary. "  That's  a  good  spin,  Polly,"  he  said, 
as  they  brought  up  by  the  little  doctor's  side. 

"  Lovely !  "  said  Polly,  pushing  back  her 
locks  from  the  sparkling  eyes. 

"  I'm  almost  tempted  to  dance  myself,"  said 
Dr.  Fisher.  "  If  I  wasn't  such  an  old  fellow, 
I'd  try;  that  is,  if  anybody  asked  me." 

"  I  will,"  said  Polly,  laughing.  "  Come, 
Papa  Fisher,"  holding  out  her  hand,  "  do  give 
me  the  honor." 

"  All  right,"  said  Dr.  Fisher  bravely.  So 
Jasper  took  the  deserted  post  by  the  pillar,  and 
whistled  a  Strauss  waltz.  Thereupon  a  most 
extraordinary  hopping  up  and  down  the  hall 
was  commenced,  the  two  figures  bobbing  like 
a  pair  of  corks  on  a  quivering  water-surface. 

The  doors  opened,  and  several  faces  ap- 
peared, amongst  the  number  Mrs.  Fisher's. 

"  I  couldn't  help  it,"  said  the  little  doctor, 


342       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

coming  up  red  and  animated,  and  wiping  his 
forehead.  His  spectacles  had  fallen  off  long 
since,  and  he  had  let  them  go.  "  It  looked  so 
nice  to  see  Jasper  and  Polly,  I  thought  I'd 
try  it.  I  didn't  suppose  I'd  get  on  so  well;  I 
really  believe  I  can  dance." 

"Humph!"  laughed  Mr.  King,  "it  looks 
like  it.    Just  see  Polly." 

"  Oh,  Papa  Fisher !  "  cried  Polly  with  a 
merry  peal  in  which  Jasper,  unpuckering  his 
lips  from  the  Strauss  effort,  had  joined,  "  we 
must  have  looked "  —  Here  she  went  off 
again. 

"  Yes,"  said  Jasper,  "  you  did.  That's  just 
it,  Polly,  you  did.  Lucky  you  two  caperers 
didn't  break  anything." 

"  Well,  if  you've  got  through  laughing," 
observed  Dr.  Fisher,  "  I'll  remark  that  the 
secret  is  out." 

"  Do  you  like  it,  Polly?"  asked  Mr.  King, 
holding  out  his  hand.  "  Say,  my  girl  ?  "  And 
then  before  she  could  answer,  he  went  on, 
"  You  see,  we  can't  do  anything  without  a 
doctor  on  our  travels.  Now  Providence  has 
given  us  one,  though  rather  an  obstinate  sped- 


THE   SECRET 


343 


men,"  he  pointed  to  Father  Fisher.  "  And  he 
wants  to  see  the  hospitals,  and  you  want  to 
study  a  bit  of  music,  and  your  mother  wants 
rest,  and  Jasper  and  Phronsie  and  I  want  fun, 
so  we're  going,  that's  all." 

"When?"   demanded  Polly  breathlessly. 

"  In  a  month." 


CHAPTER    XXL 

THE    WHITNEYS'    LITTLE    PLAN. 

T    THINK  it's  a  mean  shame,"  cried  Joel, 

"■■  on  a  high  vindictive  key.  "  You've  had 
burglars  here  twice,  and  I  haven't  been  home." 

"  You  speak  as  if  we  appointed  the  meeting, 
Joe,"  said  Ben  with  a  laugh. 

"  Well,  it's  mean,  anyway,"  cried  Joel,  with 
a  flash  of  his  black  eyes.  "  Now  there  won't 
any  come  again  in  an  age." 

"  Goodness,  I  hope  not,"  ejaculated  Mr. 
King,  lowering  his  newspaper  to  peer  over  its 
top. 

"  I'd  have  floored  him,"  declared  Joel,  strik- 
ing out  splendidly  from  the  shoulder,  "  if  I'd 
only  have  been  here." 

"  All  very  well,"  said  Percy  negligently, 
"  but  you  weren't  here,"  and  he  laughed 
softly. 

344 


THE   WHITNEYS'   LITTLE   PLAN        345 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  I  couldn't  have 
handled  the  burglar?  "  demanded  Joel  belliger- 
ently, and  advancing  on  Percy,  "  say?  Because 
if  you  do,  why,  I'll  try  a  bout  with  you." 

"  I  didn't  say  anything  what  you  could  or 
couldn't  do.  I  said  you  weren't  here,  and  you 
weren't.  That's  enough,"  and  Percy  turned 
his  back  on  him,  thrust  his  hands  in  the  pockets 
of  his  morning  jacket  and  stalked  to  the 
window. 

Van  opened  his  mouth  to  speak,  then  thought 
better  of  it,  and  gave  a  low  whistle.  Joel 
finding  no  enthusiasm  for  tales  of  his  fight- 
ing prowess,  ran  off  to  interview  Dick  on  the 
old  topic  of  the  burglary  and  to  obtain  another 
close  account  of  its  details. 

"  To  think  Phronsie  saw  the  other  burglar 
five  years  ago,  and  now  Dick  was  on  hand  for 
this  one  —  those  two  babies,"  he  fumed,  "  and 
none  of  us  men  around." 

"  Percy,"  said  Van,  "  come  out  in  the  hall, 
will  you?  " 

"What  do  you  want?  "  asked  Percy  lazily. 

"  Oh !  you  come  along,"  cried  Van,  laying 
hold  of  his  jacket.     "  See  here,"  dropping  his 


346       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

voice  cautiously,  as  he  towed  him  successfully 
out,  "  let's  give  Joe  a  chance  to  see  a  burglar ; 
he  wants  to  so  terribly." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked  Percy,  with 
astonished  eyes,  his  hands  still  in  his  pockets. 

Van  burst  into  a  loud  laugh,  then  stopped 
short.     "  It'll  take  two  of  us,"  he  whispered. 

"  Oh,  Van !  "  exclaimed  Percy,  and  pulling 
his  hands  from  their  resting  places,  he  clapped 
them  smartly  together. 

"  But  we  ought  not,  I  really  suppose,"  he 
said  at  last,  letting  them  fall  to  his  sides. 
"  Mamma  mightn't  like  it,  you  know." 

"  She  wouldn't  mind,"  said  Van,  yet  he 
looked  uneasy.  "  It  would  be  a  great  comfort 
to  every  one,  to  take  Joe  down.  He  does 
yarn  so." 

"  It's  an  old  grudge  with  you,"  said  Percy 
pleasantly.  "  You  know  he  beat  you  when  you 
were  a  little  fellow,  and  he'd  just  come." 

"  As  if  I  cared  for  that,"  cried  Van  in  a 
dudgeon,  "  that  was  nothing.  I  didn't  half  try ; 
and  he  went  at  me  like  a  country  sledge-ham- 
mer." 

"  Yes,  I  remember,"  Percy  nodded  placidly, 


THE   WHITNEYS'    LITTLE   PLAN        347 

"  and  you  got  all  worsted  and  knocked  into  a 
heap.     Everybody  knew  it." 

"Do  you  suppose  I'd  pound  a  visitor?" 
cried  Van  wrathf uUy,  his  cheeks  aflame.  "  Say, 
Percy  Whitney  ?  " 

"  No,  I  don't,"  said  Percy,  "  not  when  'twas 
Joe." 

"  That's  just  it.     He  was  Polly's  brother." 

At  mention  of  Polly,  Percy's  color  rose,  and 
he  put  out  his  hand.  "  Beg  pardon,  Van,"  he 
said.  "  Here,  shake,  and  make  up.  I  forgot 
all  about  our  promise,"  he  added  penitently. 

"  I  forgot  it,  too,"  declared  Van,  quieting 
down,  and  thrusting  out  his  brown  palm  to 
meet  his  brother's.  "  Well,  I  don't  care  what 
you  say  if  you'll  only  go  halves  in  this  lark," 
he  finished,  brightening  up. 

"  Well,  I  will,"  said  Percy,  to  make  atone- 
ment. 

"  Come  up  to  our  room,  then,  and  think  it 
out,"  cried  Van  gleefully,  flying  over  the  stairs 
three  at  a  bound.     "  Sh-sh !  and  hurry  up !  " 

Just  then  the  door-bell  gave  a  loud  peal,  and 
Jencks  the  butler  opened  it  to  receive  a  box 
about  two  feet  long-  and  one  broad. 


348       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  For  Miss  Phronsie  Pepper,"  said  the  foot- 
man on  the  steps,  holding  it  out,  "  but  it's 
not  to  be  given  to  her  till  to-morrow." 

"  All  right,"  said  Jencks,  taking  it.  "  That's 
the  sixth  box  for  Miss  Phronsie  that  I've  took 
in  this  morning,"  he  soliloquized,  going  down 
the  hall  and  reading  the  address  carefully. 
"  And  all  the  same  size." 

"  Ding-a-ling,"  Jencks  laid  the  parcel  quickly 
on  one  of  the  oaken  chairs  in  the  hall,  and 
hurried  to  the  door,  to  be  met  by  another  par- 
cel for  "  Miss  Phronsie  Pepper :  not  to  be 
given  to  her  till  to-morrow." 

"  And  the  i-dentical  size,"  he  ejaculated, 
squinting  at  it  as  he  went  back  to  pick  up 
the  first  parcel,  "  as  like  as  two  peas,  they  are." 

Upstairs  Polly  was  at  work  with  happy  fin- 
gers, Alexia  across  the  room,  asking  every 
third  minute,  "  Polly,  how  does  it  go  ?  O  dear ! 
I  can't  do  anything  unless  you  look  and  see 
if  it's  right." 

And  Polly  would  turn  her  back  on  a  certain 
cloud  of  white  muslin  and  floating  lace,  and 
flying  off  to  Alexia  to  give  the  necessary  crit- 
icism, with  a  pull  here  and  a  pat  there,  would 


THE   WHITNEYS'   LITTLE   PLAN 


349 


set  matters  straight,  presently  running  back  to 
her  own  work  again. 

"  You  see,"  she  said,  "  everything  must  be 
just  right,  for  next  to  Mamsie's  wedding,  this 
is  to  be  the  most  important  occasion,  Alexia 
Rhys,  that  we've  ever  known.  We  can't  have 
anything  too  nice  for  Phronsie's  getting-well 
party." 

"  That's  so,"  said  Alexia,  twitching  a  pink 
satin  bow  on  the  handle  of  a  flower-basket. 
"  O  dear  me !  this  bow  looks  like  everything ! 
I've  tried  six  different  times  to  make  it  hang 
down  quite  careless  and  refined.  And  just  to 
provoke  me,  it  pokes  up  like  a  stiff  old  thing 
in  my  face.     Do  come  and  tie  it,  Polly." 

So  Polly  jumped  up  again,  and  laying  de- 
termined fingers  on  the  refractory  bow,  sent 
it  into  a  shape  that  Alexia  protested  was  "  too 
lovely  for  anything." 

"  Are  you  going  to  have  a  good-by  party?  " 
asked  Alexia  after  a  minute. 

"  I  suppose  so,"  said  Polly.  "  Grandpapa 
said  I  would  better,  but  O  dear  me,  I  don't 
believe  I  can  ever  get  through  with  it  in  all 
this  world,"   and   Polly  hid  her   face  behind 


350 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


a  cloud  of  muslin  that  was  slowly  coming  into 
shape  as  a  dress  for  one  of  Phronsie's  biggest 
dolls. 

"  It  will  be  dreadful,"  said  Alexia,  with  a 
pathetic  little  sniff,  and  beginning  on  a  second 
pink  bow,  "  but  then,  you  know,  it's  your  duty 
to  go  off  nicely,  and  I'm  sure  you  can't  do  it, 
Polly,  without  a  farewell  party." 

"Yes,"  said  Polly  slowly,  "but  then  I'd 
really  rather  write  little  notes  to  all  the  girls. 
But  I  suppose  they'll  all  enjoy  the  party,"  she 
added. 

"  Indeed  they  will,"  declared  Alexia  quickly. 
"  O  dear  me,  I  wish  I  was  going  with  you. 
You'll  have  a  perfectly  royal  time." 

"  I'm  going  to  work  hard  at  my  music,  you 
know,"  declared  Polly,  raising  her  head  sud- 
denly, a  glow  on  her  round  cheek. 

"  Oh !  well,  you'll  only  peg  away  at  it  when 
you've  a  mind,"  said  Alexia  carelessly,  and 
setting  lazy  stitches.  "  Most  of  the  time  you'll 
be  jaunting  around,  seeing  things,  and  having 
fun  generally.  Oh!  don't  I  wish  I  was  going 
with  you." 

"  Alexia   Rhys !  "   cried   Polly   in  astonish- 


THE   WHITNEYS'   LITTLE   PLAN 


351 


ment,  and  casting  her  needle  from  her,  she 
deserted  the  muslin  cloud  summarily.  "  Only 
peg  away  when  I  have  the  mind  ?  "  she  re- 
peated indignantly.  "  Well,  I  shall  have  the 
mind  most  of  the  time,  I  can  tell  you.  Why, 
that's  what  I  am  going  abroad  for,  to  study 
music.  How  can  I  ever  teach  it,  if  I  don't  go, 
pray  tell  ?  "  she  demanded,  and  now  her  eyes 
flashed,  and  her  hands  worked  nervously. 

"Oh!  nonsense,"  cried  Alexia,  not  looking 
at  the  face  before  her,  and  going  on  recklessly, 
"as  if  that  meant  anything,  all  that  talk  about 
your  being  a  music-teacher,  Polly,"  and  she 
gave  a  little  incredulous  laugh. 

Polly  got  out  of  her  chair  somehow,  and 
stood  very  close  to  the  fussing  fingers  over 
the  pink  satin  bow.  "  Do  you  never  dare  say 
that  to  me  again,"  she  commanded ;  "  it's  the 
whole  of  my  life  to  be  a  music-teacher  —  the 
very  whole." 

"  Oh,  Polly !  "  down  went  the  satin  bow 
dragging  with  it  Alexia's  spool  of  silk  and  the 
dainty  scissors.  "  Don't  ■ —  don't  —  I  didn't 
mean  anything;  but  you  really  know  that  Mr. 
King  will  never  let  you  be  a  music-teacher 


352 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


in  all  this  world.  Never;  you  know  it,  Polly. 
Oh!    don't  look  like  that;   please  don't." 

"  He  will,"  said  Polly,  in  a  low  but  per- 
fectly distinct  voice,  "  for  he  has  promised 
me." 

"  Well,  he'll  get  out  of  it  somehow,"  said 
Alexia,  her  evil  genius  urging  her  on,  "  for 
you  know,  Polly,  it  would  be  too  queer  for 
any  of  his  family,  and  —  and  a  girl  of  our 
set,  to  turn  out  a  music-teacher.  You  know, 
Polly,  that  it  would." 

And  Alexia  smiled  in  the  most  convincing 
way  and  jumped  up  to  throw  her  arms  around 
her  friend. 

"  If  any  of  the  girls  in  our  set,"  said  Polly 
grandly,  and  stepping  off  from  Alexia,  "  wish 
to  draw  away  from  me,  they  can  do  so  now. 
I  am  to  be  a  music-teacher;  I'm  perfectly 
happy  to  be  one,  I  want  you  all  to  under- 
stand. Just  as  happy  as  I  can  possibly  be  in 
all  this  world.  Why,  it's  what  I've  been  study- 
ing and  working  for,  and  how  else  do  you 
suppose  I  can  ever  repay  dear  Grandpapa  for 
helping    me  ? "     Her    voice    broke,    and    she 


THE   WHITNEYS'   LITTLE   PLAN        353 

stopped  a  minute,  clasping  her  hands  tightly 
to  keep  back  the  rush  of  words. 

"  Oh,  Polly !  "  cied  Alexia  in  dismay,  and 
beginning  to  whimper,  she  tried  again  to  put 
her  arm  around  her. 

"  Don't  touch  me,"  said'  Polly,  waving  her 
off  with  an  imperative  hand. 

"Oh,  Polly!    Polly!" 

"  And  the  rest  of  our  set  may  feel  as  you 
do ;  then  I  don't  want  them  to  keep  on  liking 
me,"  said  Polly,  with  her  most  superb  air, 
and  drawing  off  further  yet. 

"Polly,  if  you  don't  stop,  you'll  —  you'll 
kill  me,"  gasped  Alexia.  "  Oh,  Polly!  I  don't 
care  what  you  are.  You  may  teach  all  day 
if  you  want  to,  and  I'll  help  get  you  scholars. 
I'll  do  anything,  and  so  will  all  the  girls;  I 
know  they  will.  Polly,  do  let  me  be  your 
friend  just  as  I  was.  O,  dear,  dear!  I  wish 
I  hadn't  said  anything  —  I  wish  I  had  bitten 
my  tongue  off;  I  didn't  think  you'd  mind  it 
so  much,"  and  now  Alexia  broke  down,  and 
sobbed  outright. 

"  You've  got  to  say  it's  glorious  to  teach," 
said  Polly,  unmoved,  and  with  her  highest  air 


354 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


on,  "  and  that  you're  glad  I'm  going  to  do 
it." 

"  It's  glo-glorious  to  teach,"  mumbled  poor 
Alexia  behind  her  wet  handkerchief. 

"  And  I'm  glad  you're  going  to  do  it,"  dic- 
tated Polly  inflexibly. 

"  I'm  glad  you're  going  to  do  it,"  echoed 
Alexia  in  a  dismal  tone. 

"  Then  I'll  be  your  friend  once  more,"  con- 
sented Polly  with  a  slow  step  toward  Alexia, 
"  that  is,  if  you  never  in  all  this  world  say 
such  a  dreadful  thing  again,  Alexia  Rhys." 

"  Don't  ask  me.  You  know  I  won't,"  prom- 
ised Alexia,  her  spirits  rising.  So  Polly  went 
over  to  her  and  set  a  kiss  on  her  wet  cheek, 
comforting  her  as  only  Polly  could,  and  before 
long  the  pink  satin  bow  with  the  spool  of  silk 
hanging  to  it,  and  the  scissors,  were  found 
under  the  table,  and  Polly  attacked  the  muslin 
cloud  with  redoubled  vigor,  and  the  girls'  voices 
carried  merry  laughter  and  scraps  of  happy 
talk,  and  Mrs.  Chatterton  stole  out  of  the  little 
reading-room  next  to  them  and  shut  herself 
up  in  her  own  apartment. 

"  Dear  me,  how  fine  that  doll's  gown  is  to 


THE  WHITNEYS'   LITTLE    PLAN 


355 


be,  Polly,"  exclaimed  Alexia  after  a  bit.  "  Is 
the  lace  going  on  all  around  the  bottom?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Polly,  biting  off  her  thread, 
and  giving  the  muslin  breadths  a  little  shake; 
"  Felicie  is  tucking  the  flounce ;  then  I  shall 
have  to  sew  on  the  lace." 

"  How  many  dolls  are  there  to  refurbish 
before  to-morrow  ?  "  asked  Alexia  suddenly. 

"  Four  —  no,  five,"  said  Polly,  rapidly  count- 
ing; "  for  the  one  that  Grandpapa  gave  her 
Christmas  before  last,  Celestine,  you  know, 
does  need  a  new  waist.  I  forgot  her.  But 
that  doesn't  count  the  new  sashes,  and  the  hair 
ribbons  and  the  lace  ruffles  around  the  necks; 
I  guess  there  are  almost  fifty  of  them.  Dear 
me,  I  must  hurry,"  and  she  began  to  sew  faster 
yet. 

"  What  a  nuisance  all  those  dolls  are,"  said 
Alexia,  "  they  take  up  every  bit  of  your  spare 
time." 

"That  isn't  the  worst  of  it,"  said  Polly. 
"  Alexia,  I  don't  know  what  we  shall  do,  for 
Phronsie  works  over  them  till  she's  quite  tired 
out.     You  ought  to  see  her  this  morning." 

"  She's  up  in  the  play-house  at  it  now,   I 


356       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

suppose,"  said  Alexia,  "  dressing  every  one  of 
them  for  the  party  to-morrow." 

"  Yes,"  said  Polly,  "  she  is." 

"  Well,  I  hope  no  one  will  give  her  a  doll 
to-morrow,"  said  Alexia,  "  at  least  no  one  but 
Mr.  King.    Of  course  he  will." 

"Oh!  no  one  else  will,"  declared  Polly 
cheerfully.     "  Of  course  not,  Alexia." 

And  then  Jencks  walked  in  with  his  seven 
boxes  exactly  alike  as  to  size,  and  deposited 
them  solemnly  in  a  row  on  the  blue  and  white 
lounge.  "  For  Miss  Phronsie  Pepper,  and  not 
to  be  opened  till  to-morrow,  Miss  Mary." 

"  Polly,"  said  Alexia  in  a  stage  whisper,  and 
jumping  up  as  Jencks  disappeared,  to  run  over 
to  the  row,  "  do  you  suppose  they  are  dolls  ?  " 

"  I  shall  die  if  they  are,"  declared  Polly 
desperately,  and  sitting  quite  still. 

"  They  surely  look  like  dolls  on  the  very 
covers,"  said  Alexia,  fingering  the  cords. 
"  Would  it  be  so  very  wrong  to  open  one 
box,  and  just  relieve  our  suspense?  Just  one, 
Polly?" 

"  No,  no,  don't,"  cried  Polly  sharply.  "  They 
belong  to  Phronsie.     But  O  dear  me !  " 


THE   WHITNEYS'   LITTLE    PLAN        357 

"  And  just  think,"  said  Alexia,  like  a  Job's 
comforter,  and  looking  over  at  the  clock,  "  it's 
only  half-past  eleven.  Polly  Pepper,  there's 
time  for  oceans  more  to  come  in  yet." 

"  It's  perfectly  horrid  to  get  such  a  scrap 
of  an  outing,"  said  Joel  that  night,  sprawling 
on  the  rug  before  the  library  fire,  "  only  four 
days !  Why  couldn't  Mr.  Marks  be  sick  longer 
than  that,  if  he  was  going  to  be  sick  at  all, 
pray?" 

"  These  four  days  will  give  you  strength  for 
your  '  exams,'  won't  they,  Joe?  "  asked  Van. 

Joel  turned  his  black  eyes  on  him  and  coolly 
said  "  Yes,"  then  made  a  wry  face,  doubled 
up  a  bit  of  paper,  and  aimed  it  at  Van. 

Davie  sighed,  and  looked  up  anxiously.  "  I 
hope  Mr.  Marks  will  come  out  all  right  so  that 
we  can  go  back  Monday." 

"  I  only  hope  he'll  stay  ill,"  said  Joel  affec- 
tionately. "  'Tisn't  safe  anyway  for  us  to  go 
back  Monday.  It  may  be  typhoid  fever,  you 
know,  Mamsie,"  looking  over  at  her. 

"They'll  let  us  know  soon  enough  if  that's 
the  case,"  said  Mother  Fisher  in  the  lamp- 
light over  by  the  center-table.     "  No,  I  expect 


358       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

your  letter  to-morrow  will  say  '  Come  Mon- 
day.' " 

"  Well,  it's  a  downright  shame  for  us  to  be 
pulled  off  so  soon,"  cried  Joel  indignantly,  sit- 
ting straight. 

"  Think  how  soon  the  term  ends,  Joe,"  cried 
Polly,  "  then  you  have  such  a  long  outing." 
She  sighed  as  she  thought  of  the  separation 
to  come,  and  the  sea  between  them. 

"  That's  nothing;  only  a  dreadful  little  time 
—  soon  will  be  gone,"  grunted  Joel,  turning 
his  face  to  look  at  the  brightly-leaping  flames 
the  cool  evening  had  made  necessary. 

Ben  glanced  over  at  Polly.  "  Don't  talk  of 
the  summer,"  he  was  going  to  say,  but  stopped 
in  time.  Phronsie  set  her  doll  carefully  in 
the  corner  of  the  sofa,  and  went  over  to  Joel. 

"  Does  your  head  ache  often  at  school, 
Joel  ?  "  she  asked,  softly  laying  her  cool  little 
palm  on  his  stubby  hair. 

"  Yes,"  said  Joel,  "  it  does,  awfully,  Phron- 
sie; and  nobody  cares,  and  says  '  Stop  study- 
ing.'" 

A  shout  greeted  this. 

"  That's  too  bad,"  said  Phronsie  pityingly, 


THE  WHITNEYS'   LITTLE   PLAN 


359 


"  I  shall  just  write  and  ask  Mr.  Marks  if  he 
won't  let  you  stop  and  rest  when  it  aches." 

"  'Twouldn't  do  any  good,  Phronsie,"  said 
Joel,  "  nothing  would.  He's  a  regular  old 
grinder,  Marks  is." 

"  Mr.  Marks,"  said  Phronsie  slowly,  "  I 
don't  know  who  you  mean  by  Marks,  Joel. 
And  what  is  a  grinder,  please?  "  getting  down 
on  her  knees  to  look  in  his  face. 

"  And  he  works  us  boys  so,  Phronsie  —  you 
can't  think,"  said  Joel,  ignoring  the  question. 

"  What  is  a  grinder,  Joel,  please  tell  me," 
repeated  Phronsie  with  gentle  persistence. 

"  Oh !  a  grinder  is  a  horrid  buffer,"  began 
Joel  impatiently. 

"  Joel,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher,  reprovingly.  The 
fire  in  her  black  eyes  was  not  pleasant  to  look 
at,  and  after  one  glance,  he  turned  back  to 
the  blazing  logs  once  more. 

"  I  can't  help  it,"  he  muttered,  picking  up 
the  tongs  to  poke  the  fire. 

"  Don't  ever  let  me  hear  that  excuse  from  a 
son  of  mine,"  said  Mother  Fisher  scornfully. 
"  Can't  help  it.  I'd  be  master  of  myself,  that's 
one  thing." 


360       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

Joel  set  the  tongs  back  with  an  unsteady 
hand.  They  slipped  and  fell  to  the  hearth  with 
a  clang. 

"  Mamsie,  I  didn't  mean,"  he  began,  finding 
his  feet.  And  before  any  one  could  draw  a 
long  breath,  he  rushed  out  of  the  room. 

There  was  a  dreadful  pause.  Polly  clasped 
her  hands  tightly  together,  and  looked  at  her 
mother.  Mrs.  Fisher  quietly  put  her  sewing 
into  the  big  basket  and  got  out  of  her 
chair. 

"  Oh !  what  is  the  matter  with  Joey  ?  "  cried 
Phronsie,  standing  quite  still  by  the  deserted 
hearth-rug.  "  Mamsie,  do  you  suppose  his 
head  aches  ?  " 

"  I  think  it  must,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher  gravely. 
Then  she  went  out  very  quietly  and  they  could 
hear  her  going  up  the  stairs. 

With  a  firm  step  she  went  into  her  own  room, 
and  turned  up  the  gas.  The  flash  revealed  Joel, 
face  downward  on  the  broad,  comfortable  sofa. 
Mrs.  Fisher  went  over  and  closed  the  door,  then 
came  to  his  side. 

"  I  thought,  my  boy,"  she  said,  "  that  I 
should  find  you  here.     Now  then,  tell  mother 


THE  WHITNEY3-   LITTLE   PLAN        361 

all  about  it,"  and  lifting  his  head,  she  sat  down 
and  took  it  into  her  lap. 

"  O  dear !  "  cried  Joel,  burrowing  deep  in 
the  comfortable  lap,  "  O  dear  —  O  dear !  " 

"  Now,  that  is  silly,  Josey,"  said  Mother 
Fisher,  "  tell  me  at  once  what  all  this  trouble 
is  about,"  passing  her  firm  hands  over  his  hot 
forehead,  and  trying  to  look  in  his  face.  But 
he  struggled  to  turn  it  away  from  her. 

"  In  the  first  place  I  just  hate  school !  "  he 
exploded. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

JOEL. 

HATE  school?"  cried  Mother  Fisher. 
"  Oh,  Josey !  think  how  Ben  wanted 
more  schooling,  only  he  wouldn't  take  the 
chance  when  Mr.  King  offered  it  to  him  be- 
cause he  felt  that  he  must  be  earning  money 
as  soon  as  possible.     Oh,  Josey !  " 

That  "  Oh,  Josey !  "  cut  deeply.  Joel  winced 
and  burrowed  deeper  under  his  mother's  fin- 
gers. 

"  That's  just  it,"  he  cried.  "  Ben  wanted  it, 
and  I  don't.  I  hate  it,  and  I  don't  want  to 
go  back." 

"  Don't  want  to  go  back  ?  "  repeated  Mrs. 
Fisher  in  dismay. 

"  No,  I  don't.  The  fellows  are  always  twit- 
ting me,  and  every  one  gets  ahead  of  me,  and 
I'm  everlastingly  staying  in  from  ball-games 
362 


JOEL  363 

to  make  up  lessons,  and  I'd  like  to  fire  the 
books,  I  would,"  cried  Joel  with  venom. 

Mrs.  Fisher  said  nothing,  but  the  hands  still 
stroked  the  brown  stubby  head  in  her  lap. 

"  And  nobody  cares  for  me  because  I  won't 
be  smart  like  the  others,  but  I  can't  help  it, 
I  just  hate  school!  "  finished  Joel  in  the  same 
strain. 

"Joel,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher  slowly,  "if  that 
is  the  case,  I  shall  go  down  to  Mr.  King  and 
tell  him  that  we,  Father  Fisher  and  I,  Polly 
and  Phronsie,  will  not  go  abroad  with  him." 

Joel  bolted  upright  and  putting  down  his 
two  hands,  brought  his  black  eyes  to  bear  on 
her. 

"What?" 

"  I  shall  go  directly  downstairs  and  tell  Mr. 
King  that  Father  Fisher  and  I,  Polly  and 
Phronsie,  will  not  go  abroad  with  him,"  re- 
peated his  mother  slowly  and  distinctly  while 
she  looked  him  fully  in  the  face. 

"  You  can't  do  that,"  said  Joel  in  amaze- 
ment.    "  He's  engaged  the  state-rooms." 

"  That  makes  no  difference,"  said  Mrs. 
Fisher,  "  when  a  woman  has  a  boy  who  needs 


364       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

her,  nothing  should  stand  in  the  way.  And 
I  must  stay  at  home  and  take  care  of  you, 
Joel." 

Joel  sprang  to  his  feet  and  began  to  prance 
up  and  down  the  floor.  "  I'm  big  enough  to 
take  care  of  myself,  mother,"  he  declared,  com- 
ing up  to  her,  to  prance  off  again. 

"  So  I  thought,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher  com- 
posedly, "  or  I  shouldn't  have  placed  you  at 
Mr.  Marks's  school." 

"  The  idea,  Mamsie,  of  your  staying  at  home 
to  take  care  of  me,"  said  Joel  excitedly.  "  Why, 
feel  of  that."  He  bared  his  arm,  and  coming 
up,  thrust  it  out  for  inspection.  "  Isn't  that 
splendid?  I  do  verily  believe  I  could  whip 
any  fellow  in  school,  I  do,"  he  cried,  regard- 
ing his  muscles  affectionately.  "If  you  don't 
believe  it,  just  pinch  them  hard.  You  don't 
mean  it  really,  Mamsie,  what  you  said,  of 
course.  The  idea  of  staying  at  home  to 
take  care  of  me,"  and  he  began  to  prance 
again. 

"  I  don't  care  how  many  boys  you  can  whip," 
observed  Mother  Fisher  coolly,  "  as  long  as 
you   can't   whip  your  own   self   when  you're 


JOEL  365 

naughty,  you're  too  weak  to  go  alone,  and  I 
must  stay  at  home." 

Joel  stopped  suddenly  and  looked  at  her. 

"  And  before  I'd  give  up,  a  boy  of  thirteen, 
and  beg  to  be  taken  away  from  school  because 
the  lessons  were  hard,  and  I  didn't  like  to 
study,  I'd  work  myself  to  skin  and  bone  but 
I'd  go  through  creditably."  Mrs.  Fisher  sat 
straight  now  as  an  arrow  in  her  corner  of  the 
sofa.  "  I've  said  my  say,  Joel,"  she  finished 
after  a  pause,  "  and  now  I  shall  go  down  and 
tell  Mr.  King." 

"  Mother,"  howled  Joel,  dashing  across  the 
room  to  her,  "  don't  go !  I'll  stay,  I  will.  Don't 
say  that  again,  about  my  having  to  be  taken 
care  of  like  a  baby.  I'll  be  good,  mother,  and 
study." 

"  Study  doesn't  amount  to  much  unless  you 
are  glad  of  the  chance,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher 
sharply.  "  I  wouldn't  give  a  fig  for  it,  being 
driven  to  it,"  and  her  lips  curled  scornfully. 

Joel  wilted  miserably.  "  I  do  care  for  the 
chance,"  he  cried;    "just  try  me,  and  see." 

Mrs.  Fisher  took  his  sunburnt  face  between 
her  two  hands.     "  Do  you  really  wish  to  go 


366       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

back  to  school,  and  put  your  mind  on  your 
books?     Be  honest,  now." 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  said  Joel,  without  winking. 

"  Well,  you  never  told  me  a  lie,  and  I  know 
you  won't  begin  now,"  said  Mother  Fisher, 
slowly  releasing  him.  "  You  may  go  back, 
Joe;   I'll  trust  you." 

"  Phronsie,"  said  Jasper,  as  the  sound  of 
the  two  voices  could  be  heard  in  Mother 
Fisher's  room,  "  don't  you  want  to  come  into 
my  den?  I've  some  new  bugs  in  the  cabinet 
—  found  a  regular  beauty  to-day." 

Phronsie  stood  quite  still  just  where  Joel 
had  left  her ;  her  hands  were  clasped  and  tears 
were  rolling  slowly  down  her  cheeks.  "  No," 
she  said,  without  looking  at  him,  "  Jasper,  I 
don't." 

"  Do  come,  Phronsie,"  he  begged,  going  over 
to  her,  and  holding  out  his  hand.  "  You  can't 
think  how  nice  the  new  one  is,  with  yellow 
stripes  and  two  long  horns.  Come  and  see  it, 
Phronsie." 

"  No,  Jasper,"  said  the  child  quietly.  Then 
in  the  next  breath,  "  I  think  Joey  must  be  very 
sick." 


JOEL  367 

"Oh!  Mamsie  is  taking  care  of  him,  and 
he'll  soon  be  all  right,"  broke  in  Polly  cheer- 
ily. "  Do  go  with  Jasper,  Phronsie,  do,  dear." 
She  took  hold  of  the  clasped  hands,  and  smiled 
up  into  the  drooping  face. 

But  Phronsie  shook  her  head  and  said 
"  No." 

"If  Grandpapa  should  come  in  and  find  her 
so  'twould  be  very  dreadful!  "  exclaimed  Polly, 
looking  over  at  the  five  boys,  who  in  this 
sudden  emergency  were  knocked  speechless. 
"  Do  let  us  all  play  some  game.  Can't  some 
one  think  of  one?  " 

"  Let  us  play  '  Twenty  Questions,'  "  pro- 
posed Jasper  brightly.  "  I'll  begin  it,  I've 
thought  of  something." 

"  That's  horrid,"  cried  Van,  finding  his 
tongue,  "  none  of  us  want  to  play  that,  I'm 
sure." 

"I  do,"  said  David.  "I  think  'Twenty 
Questions  '  is  always  nice.  Is  it  animal,  vege- 
table or  mineral,  Jasper  ?  " 

"  I'm  sick  of  it.  Do  play  something  not 
quite  as  old  as  the  hills,  I  beg." 

"  Well,   you   think   of   something   yourself, 


368       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

old  man,"  said  Jasper,  nodding  furiously  at 
him.     "  Hurry  up." 

"  I'd  rather  have  Polly  tell  a  story  than  any 
game  you  could  possibly  think  of,"  said  Van, 
going  over  to  her,  where  she  sat  on  the  rug 
at  Phronsie's  feet.  "  Polly,  will  you  ?  "  he 
asked  wheedlingly. 

"  Don't  ask  her  to-night,"  interposed  Jasper. 

"  Yes,  I  shall.  It's  the  only  time  we  shall 
have,"  said  Van,  "  before  we  go  back  to  school. 
Do,  Polly,  will  you?"  he  begged  again. 

"  I  can't  think  of  the  first  thing,"  declared 
Polly,  pushing  back  little  rings  of  brown  hair 
from  her  forehead. 

"  Don't  try  to  think ;  just  spin  it  off,"  said 
Van.    "  Now  begin." 

"  You're  a  regular  nuisance,  Van !  "  ex- 
claimed Jasper  indignantly.  "  Polly,  I  wouldn't 
indulge  him." 

"  I  know  Phronsie  wants  a  story ;  don't  you, 
Phronsie?"  asked  Van  artfully,  and  running 
over  to  peer  into  her  face. 

But  to  his  astonishment,  Phronsie  stood 
perfectly  still.  "  No,"  she  said  again,  "  I  don't 
want  a  story;  Joey  must  be  sick." 


JOEL  369 

"  Jasper,"  cried  Polly  in  despair,  and  spring- 
ing up,  "  something  must  be  done.  Grand- 
papa's coming;    I  hear  him." 

"  Phronsie,"  said  Jasper,  bending  to  speak 
into  her  ear,  "  do  you  know  you  are  making 
Polly  feel  very  unhappy  ?  Just  think ;  the  next 
thing  I  don't  know  but  what  she'll  cry." 

Phronsie  unfolded  her  hands.  "  Give  me 
your  handkerchief,  Polly,"  she  said,  winking 
back  the  rest  of  the  tears. 

"  Now,  there's  a  dear,"  cried  Polly,  pulling 
out  her  handkerchief  and  wiping  the  wet,  little 
face.  None  too  soon;  the  door  opened  and 
Mr.  King  came  in. 

"  Well  —  well  —  well !  "  he  exclaimed,  look- 
ing over  his  spectacles  at  them  all.  "  Playing 
games,  hey  ?  " 

"  We're  going  to,"  said  Ben  and  Jasper  to- 
gether. 

"  No,  Polly  is  going  to  tell  a  story,"  said 
Van  loudly,  "  that  is,  if  you  want  to  hear  it, 
Grandpapa.  Do  say  you  do,"  he  begged,  going 
over  to  whisper  in  his  ear. 

"  I  want  immensely  to  hear  it !  "  declared  the 
old  gentleman,  pulling  up  an  easy-chair  to  the 


370       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

fireside.  "  There  now,"  sitting  down,  "  I'm 
fixed.     Now  proceed,  my  dear." 

Van  softly  clapped  his  hands.  "  Phronsie," 
Mr.  King  beckoned  to  her,  and  then  sug- 
gestively touched  his  knee,  "  here,  dear." 

Phronsie  scurried  across  the  room  to  his 
side.     "  Yes,  Grandpapa." 

"  There,  up  she  goes !  "  sang  Mr.  King, 
swinging  her  into  position  on  his  lap.  "  Now 
then,  Polly,  my  child,  we  are  all  ready  for  the 
wonderful  tale.      Stay,   where   is  Joel?" 

"  Joel  went  upstairs  a  little  while  ago,"  said 
Jasper  quickly.    "  Well,  now,  Polly,  do  begin." 

"  I'll  tell  how  we  went  to  buy  Phronsie's 
shoes,"  said  Polly,  drawing  up  an  ottoman  to 
Mr.  King's  side.  "  Now,  boys,  bring  your 
chairs  up." 

"  Joel  ought  to  know  that  you  are  going 
to  tell  a  story,  Polly,"  said  Mr.  King.  "  One 
of  you  boys  run  out  and  call  him  at  the  foot 
of  the  stairs." 

"  He's  in  Mamsie's  room,"  said  Ben.  "  I 
suppose  when  she  gets  through  with  him,  he'll 
come  down." 

"  Oh !  ah !  "  said  the  old  gentleman.    "  Well, 


JOEL  371 

Polly,    then   perhaps    you    would    better   pro- 
ceed." 

So  Polly  began  on  the  never  tiresome  recital, 
how  Phronsie  fell  down  the  stairs  leading  from 
the  kitchen  to  the  "  provision  room  "  in  the 
little  brown  house,  with  the  bread-knife  in  her 
hand;  and  how,  because  she  cut  her  thumb 
so  that  it  bled  dreadfully,  mother  decided  that 
she  could  at  last  have  a  pair  of  shoes  bought 
especially  for  her  very  own  self;  and  how 
Deacon  Brown's  old  horse  and  wagon  were 
procured,  and  they  all  set  forth,  except  mother, 
and  how  they  rode  to  town,  and  how  the 
Beebes  were  just  as  good  as  gold,  and  how  the 
red-topped  shoes  fitted  as  if  they  were  made 
for  Phronsie's  feet,  and  how  they  all  went 
home,  and  how  Phronsie  danced  around  the 
kitchen  till  she  was  all  tired  out,  and  then 
went  to  bed  carrying  the  new  shoes  with  her, 
and  how  she  fell  asleep  with  — 
"  Why,  I  declare,"  exclaimed  Polly,  reaching 
this  denouement  in  a  delightfully  roundabout 
way,  "  if  she  isn't  asleep  now !  " 

And   indeed   she  was.      So  she  had  to  be 
carried  up  to  bed  in  the  same  old  way;    only 


372       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

this  time  it  was  Jasper  instead  of  Polly,  who 
held  her. 

"  Don't  you  believe  we'd  better  put  it  off  till 
some  other  night?"  whispered  Percy  to  Van 
on  the  way  upstairs  to  bed,  the  library  party 
having  broken  up  early.  "  A  fellow  doesn't 
want  to  see  a  burglar  on  top  of  the  time  Joel 
has  had." 

"  No,  no,"  said  Van;  "  it'll  be  good  for  him, 
and  knock  the  other  thing  out  of  his  head, 
don't  you  see,  Percy?  I  should  want  some- 
thing else  to  think  of  if  I  were  Joel.  You 
can't  back  out;    you  promised,  you  know." 

"  Well,  and  I'll  do  it,"  said  Percy  testily. 

"  It's  no  use  trying  to  sleep,"  declared  Joel, 
in  the  middle  of  the  night,  and  kicking  the 
bedclothes  for  the  dozenth  time  into  a  roll  at 
the  foot,  "  as  long  as  I  can  see  Mamsie's  eyes. 
I'll  just  get  up  and  tackle  that  Latin  grammar 
now.  Whew!  haven't  I  got  to  work,  though! 
Might  as  well  begin  at  it,"  and  he  jumped 
out  of  bed. 

Stepping  softly  over  to  the  door  that  led 
into  David's  little  room,  he  closed  it  carefully, 
and  with  a  sigh,  lighted  the  gas.     Then  he 


JOEL  373 

went  over  to  the  table  where  his  school  books 
ought  to  have  been.  But  instead,  the  space 
was  piled  with  a  great  variety  of  things  —  one 
or  two  balls,  a  tennis  racket,  and  a  confusion 
of  fishing  tackle,  while  in  front,  the  last  thing 
that  had  occupied  him  that  day,  lay  a  book  of 
artificial  flies. 

Joel  set  his  teeth  together  hard,  and  looked 
at  them.  "  Suppose  I  sha'n't  get  much  of  this 
sort  of  thing  this  summer,"  he  muttered. 
"  Here  goes !  "  and  without  trusting  himself 
to  take  another  look,  he  swept  them  all  off 
down  to  the  floor  and  into  a  corner. 

"  There,"  he  said,  standing  up  straight,  "  lie 
there,  will  you?"  But  they  loomed  up  in  a 
suggestive  heap,  and  his  fingers  trembled  to 
just  touch  them  once. 

"  I  must  cover  up  the  things,  or  else  I  know 
I'll  be  at  them,"  he  said,  and  hurrying  over  to 
the  bed,  he  dragged  off  the  coverlid.  "  Now," 
and  he  threw  it  over  the  fascinating  mass, 
"  I've  got  to  study.  Dear  me,  where  are  my 
books?" 

For  the  next  five  minutes  Joel  had  enough 
to  do  to  collect  his  working  instruments,  and 


374 


FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


when  at  last  he  unearthed  them  from  the  cor- 
ner of  his  closet  where  he  had  thrown  them 
under  a  pile  of  boots,  he  was  tired  enough  to 
sit  down. 

"  I  don't  know  which  to  go  at  first,"  he 
groaned,  whirling  the  leaves  of  the  upper  book. 
"  It  ought  to  be  Latin  —  but  then  it  ought  to 
be  algebra  just  as  much,  and  as  for  history  — 
well  there  —  here  goes,  I'll  take  them  as  they 
come." 

With  a  very  red  face  Joel  plunged  into  the 
first  one  under  his  hand.  It  proved  to  be 
the  Latin  grammar,  and  with  a  grimace,  he 
found  the  page,  and  resting  his  elbows  on  the 
table,  he  seized  each  side  of  his  stubby  head 
with  his  hands.  "  I'll  hang  on  to  my  hair," 
he  said,  and  plunged  into  his  task. 

And  now  there  was  no  sound  in  the  room 
but  his  hard  breathing,  and  the  noise  he  made 
turning  the  leaves,  for  he  very  soon  found  he 
was  obliged  to  go  back  many  lessons  to  un- 
derstand how  to  approach  the  one  before  him ; 
and  with  cheeks  growing  every  instant  more 
scarlet  with  shame  and  confusion,  the  drops 


JOEL  375 

of  perspiration  ran  down  his  forehead  and  fell 
on  his  book. 

"  Whew !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  it's  horribly  hot," 
and  pushing  back  his  book,  he  tiptoed  over  to 
the  other  window  and  softly  raised  it.  The 
cool  air  blew  into  his  face,  and  leaning  far 
out  into  the  dark  night,  he  drew  in  deep 
breaths. 

"  I've  skinned  through  and  saved  my  neck  a 
thousand  times,"  he  reflected,  "  and  now  I've 
got  to  dig  like  sixty  to  make  up.  There's 
Dave  now,  sleeping  in  there  like  a  cat;  he 
doesn't  have  anything  to  do,  but  to  run  ahead 
of  the  class  like  lightning  —  just  because 
he  "  — 

"  Loves  it,"  something  seemed  to  sting  the 
words  into  him.  Joel  drew  in  his  head  and 
turned  abruptly  away  from  the  window. 

"  Pshaw !  well,  here  goes,"  he  exclaimed 
again,  throwing  himself  into  his  chair.  "  She 
said  '  I'd  work  myself  to  skin  and  bone  but 
I'd  get  through  creditably.'  "  Joel  bared  his 
brown  arm  and  regarded  it  critically.  "  I 
wonder  how  'twould  look  all  skin  and  bone," 
and  he  gave  a  short  laugh. 


376       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  But  this  isn't  studying."  He  pulled  down 
his  sleeve,  and  his  head  went  over  the  book 
again. 

Outside,  a  bright  blue  eye  applied  to  the 
keyhole,  gave  place  to  a  bright  brown  one,  till 
such  time  as  the  persons  to  whom  the  eyes 
belonged,  were  satisfied  as  to  the  condition  of 
the  interior  they  were  surveying. 

"What  do  you  suppose  he's  doing?  "  whis- 
pered the  taller  figure,  putting  his  face  con- 
cealed under  a  black  mask,  closely  to  the  ear 
of  the  other  person,  whose  countenance  was 
similarly  adorned. 

"  Don't  know,"  whispered  the  second  black 
mask.  "  He  acts  dreadfully  queer,  but  I  sup- 
pose he's  got  a  novel.  So  you  see  it's  our 
duty  to  break  it  up,"  he  added  virtuously. 

The  taller  figure  shook  his  head,  but  as  it 
was  very  dark  on  their  side  of  Joel's  door,  the 
movement  was  unobserved. 

"  Well,  come  on,"  whispered  the  second 
black  mask.     "  Are  you  ready  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Come  then." 

"  O,  dear,  dear !  "  grunted  Joel,  "  I'd  rather 


JOEL  377 

chop  wood  as  I  used  to,  years  ago,  to  help 
the  little  brown  house  out,"  swinging  his  arms 
up  over  his  head.     "  Why  "  — 

And  he  was  left  in  darkness,  his  arms  fall- 
ing nervously  to  his  side,  while  a  cautious  step 
across  the  room  made  his  black  eyes  stand  out 
in  fright. 

"A  burglar — a  burglar!"  flashed  through 
his  mind.  He  held  his  breath  hard  and  his 
knees  knocked  together.  But  Mamsie's  eyes 
seemed  to  look  with  scorn  on  him  again.  Joel 
straightened  up,  clenched  his  fist,  and  every 
minute  expecting  to  be  knocked  on  the  head, 
he  crept  like  a  cat  to  the  further  corner,  even 
in  this  extremity,  grumbling  inwardly  because 
Mr.  King  would  not  allow  firearms.  "  If  I 
only  had  them  now !  "  he  thought.  "  Well, 
I  must  get  my  club." 

But  there  was  no  time  to  get  it.  Joel  creep- 
ing along,  feeling  his  way  cautiously,  soon 
knew  that  there  were  two  burglars  instead  of 
one  in  the  room,  and  his  mind  was  made 
up. 

"  They'll  be  after  Grandpapa's  money,  sure," 


378       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

he  thought.  "  I  have  got  to  get  out,  and  warn 
him." 

But  how?    that  was  the  question. 

Getting  down  on  all  -  fours,  holding  his 
breath,  yet  with  never  a  thought  of  danger  to 
himself,  he  crept  along  toward  the  door  leading 
into  the  hall,  then  stopped  and  rested  under 
cover  of  the  heavy  window  drapery.  But  as 
quick  as  a  flash,  two  dark  figures,  that  now, 
his  eyes  becoming  more  accustomed  to  the 
darkness,  he  could  dimly  distinguish,  reached 
there  before  him,  and  the  key  clicking  in  the 
lock,  Joel  knew  that  all  hope  from  escape  by 
that  quarter  was  gone. 

Like  a  cat,  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  swung  the 
drapery  out  suddenly  toward  the  figures,  and 
in  the  next  second  hurled  himself  over  the 
window-sill,  hanging  to  the  edge,  grasping  the 
blind,  crawling  to  the  next  window,  and  so 
on  and  over,  and  down,  down,  by  any  friendly 
thing  he  could  grasp,  to  the  ground. 

Two  black  masks  hung  over  the  deserted 
window-edge. 

"  Joe  —  Joe !  it's  only  we  boys  —  Percy  and 
Van.    Joe  — Joe!" 


JOEL  379 

"  He'll  be  killed !  "  gasped  Van,  his  face  as 
white  as  Joel's  robe  fluttering  below  them  in 
his  wild  descent.  "  Stop  him,  Percy.  Oh !  do 
stop   him." 

Percy  clung  to  the  window-sill,  and  danced 
in  distress.  "  Stop  him !  "  he  was  beyond  utter- 
ing anything  more. 

"  Yes,  oh,  Joe !  don't  you  see  it's  only  Percy 
and  Van?  "  cried  Van  persuasively,  and  hang- 
ing out  of  the  window  to  the  imminent  danger 
of  adding  himself  to  Joel's  company. 

Percy  shoved  him  back.  "  He's  'most 
down,"  he  said,  finding  his  breath.  "  Now 
we'll  run  downstairs  and  let  him  in." 

Van  flew  off  from  the  window.  "  I'll  go ; 
it's  my  scrape,"  and  he  was  unlocking  the  door. 

"  I'm  the  oldest,"  said  Percy,  hurrying  to 
get  there  first.  "  I  ought  to  have  known 
better." 

This  made  Van  furious,  and  pushing  Percy 
with  all  his  might,  he  wriggled  out  first  as  the 
door  flew  open,  and  not  forgetting  to  tiptoe 
down  the  hall,  he  hurried  along,  Percy  behind 
him,  to  hear  the  noise  of  men's  feet  coming 
over  the  stairs. 


380       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

Van  tried  to  rush  forward  shouting, 
"  Thomas,  it's  we  boys  —  Percy  and  Van." 
Instead,  he  only  succeeded  in  the  darkness,  in 
stumbling  over  a  chair,  and  falling  flat  with  it 
amid  a  frightful  racket  that  drowned  his  voice. 

Old  Mr.  King  who  had  been  awakened  by 
the  previous  noise,  and  had  rung  his  burglar 
alarm  that  connected  with  Thomas's  and 
Jencks's  rooms  in  the  stable,  now  cried  out 
from  his  doorway.  "  Make  quick  work, 
Thomas,"  and  Percy  saw  the  gleam  of  a 
pistol  held  high  in  Thomas's  hand. 

Up  with  a  rush  came  bare  feet  over  the 
back  stairs;  a  flutter  of  something  white,  and 
Joel  sprang  in  between  them.  "  It's  Percy  — 
it's  Percy ! "  he  screamed,  "  don't  you  see, 
Thomas  ?  " 

"  I'm  Percy  —  don't  shoot !  "  the  taller  bur- 
glar kept  saying  without  intermission,  while 
the  flaring  of  candles  and  frightened  voices, 
told  of  the  aroused  household. 

"  Make  quick  work,  Jencks !  "  shouted  Mr. 
King  from  his  doorway,  to  add  to  the  general 
din. 

Thomas,  whose  blood  was  up,  determined 


JOEL  381 

once  for  all  to  put  an  end  to  the  profession 
of  burglary  as  far  as  his  master's  house  was 
concerned,  now  drew  nearer,  steadying  his  pis- 
tol and  trying  to  sight  the  nearest  fellow.  This 
proved  to  be  Van,  now  struggling  to  his  feet. 

Joel  took  one  wild  step  forward.  "  Thomas 
—  don't  shoot !     It's  Van !  " 

"  Make  quick  work,  Thomas ! "  called  Mr. 
King. 

There  was  but  a  moment  in  which  to  decide. 
It  was  either  Van  or  he ;  and  in  an  instant  Joel 
had  stepped  in  front  of  the  pistol. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

OF    MANY   THINGS. 

^  J  AN  threw  his  arms  around  Joel. 

*  "  Make  quick  work,  Thomas,"  called 
Mr.  King  from  his  doorway.  The  pistol  fell 
from  Thomas's  hand.  "  I've  shot  one  of  the 
boys.    Och,  murther !  "  he  screamed. 

And  everybody  rushing  up,  supposed  it  was 
Van,  who  was  writhing  and  screaming  unin- 
telligibly in  the  corner. 

"Oh!  I've  killed  him,"  they  finally  made 
out. 

«  Who  —  who  ?    Oh,  Van !   who  ?  " 

"  Joey,"  screamed  Van,  bending  over  a  white 
heap  in  the  floor.  "  Oh !  make  him  get  up. 
Oh!   I've  killed  him." 

The  mask  was  hanging  by  one  end  from  his 
white  face,  and  his  eyes  protruded  wildly.  Up 
382 


OF   MANY   THINGS  383 

flew  another  figure  adorned  with  a  second  black 
mask. 

"  No,  no,  it  was  I,"  and  Percy  rushed  for- 
ward with  an  "  Oh,  Joel,  Joel !  " 

Somebody  lighted  the  gas,  that  flashed  sud- 
denly over  the  terrified  group,  and  somebody 
else  lifted  the  heap  from  the  corner.  And  as 
they  did  so,  Joel  stirred  and  opened  his  eyes. 

"  Don't  make  such  a  fuss,"  he  said  crossly. 
One  hand  had  gripped  the  sleeve  of  his  night- 
dress, trying  to  hold  it  up  in  a  little  wad  on 
the  shoulder,  the  blood  pouring  down  the  arm. 
At  sight  of  this,  Van  collapsed  and  slid  to  the 
floor. 

"  Don't  frighten  Mamsie,"  said  Joel,  his 
head  drooping,  despite  his  efforts  to  hold  it  up. 
"  I'm  all  right ;  nothing  but  a  scratch.  Ugh ! 
let  me  be,  will  you  ?  "  to  Mr.  Whitney  and 
Jasper,  who  were  trying  to  support  him. 

And  Mother  Fisher,  for  the  first  time  since 
the  children  had  known  her,  lost  her  self- 
control. 

"  Oh,  Joey !  and  mother  was  cross  to  you," 
she  could  only  sob  as  she  reached  him. 

Polly,  at  a  nod  from  the  little  doctor's  night- 


384       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

cap  and  a  few  hurried  words,  ran  as  in  a  dream, 
for  the  case  of  instruments  in  his  bedroom. 

"  All  right,  Mamsie!  "  exclaimed  Joel  in  sur- 
prise, and  trying  to  stagger  to  his  feet. 

"  Good  heavens  and  earth !  "  cried  old  Mr. 
King,  approaching.  "  What  ?  oh !  it's  mon- 
strous —  Joel !  " 

"  Och,  murther !  "  Thomas  sidled  along  the 
edge  of  the  group,  rolling  fearful  eyes  at  them, 
and  repeating  over  and  over,  "  I've  shot  that 
boy  —  that  boy !  " 

All  this  occupied  but  an  instant,  and  Joel  was 
laid  on  his  bed,  and  the  wound  which  proved 
to  be  only  a  flesh  one,  the  ball  cutting  a  little 
furrow  as  it  grazed  the  shoulder,  was  dressed, 
and  everybody  drew  a  long  breath.  "  Tell  Van 
that  I'm  all  right,"  Joel  kept  saying  all  the 
time. 

Polly  undertook  to  do  this. 

"  Van  —  Van !  "  she  cried,  running  out  into 
the  hall  to  lay  a  shaking  hand  on  his  arm, 
where  he  lay  on  the  floor.  "  Joel  sent  me  to 
say  that  he  is  all  right." 

"  Polly,  I've  killed  him !  "  Van  thrust  his 
head  up  suddenly  and  looked  at  her,  with  wild 


OF   MANY   THINGS  385 

eyes.  "  I  have  —  don't  speak  to  me,  or  look  at 
me.    I've  killed  Joel !  " 

"  Take  off  this  dreadful  thing,"  said  Polly 
with  a  shiver,  and  kneeling  down,  she  seized 
the  strings  that  tied  the  mask.  "  O  dear !  it's 
all  in  a  knot.  Wait,  I'll  get  the  scissors,"  and 
she  found  her  feet,  and  ran  off  to  her  room. 

"  Now  you  are  all  right ;  "  he  gave  a  little  sob 
as  the  mask  tumbled  off.  "  Oh !  how  could 
you  ?  "  she  wanted  to  say,  but  Van's  distress 
was  too  dreadful  for  anything  but  comfort. 

"  Don't  you  see,"  said  Polly,  sitting  down  on 
the  floor  and  cuddling  up  his  head  in  her  lap, 
"  that  Joel  is  really  all  right  now  ?  Suppose  we 
hadn't  a  Father  Fisher  who  was  a  doctor,  what 
should  we  do  then?"  and  she  even  managed 
a  faint  laugh. 

"  O  dear  !  but  I've  killed  Joel."  Van  cov- 
ered his  face  with  the  folds  of  her  flannel  dress 
and  wailed  on. 

"  Now,  just  see  here,  Van  Whitney,"  said 
Polly,  with  the  air  of  authority,  "  I  tell  you  that 
Joel  is  all  right  now.  Don't  you  say  that  again 
—  not  once  more,  Vanny." 

"  But  I  have  ki  —    I  mean  I  saw  Thomas 


386       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

shoot,  and  I  couldn't  stop  him,"  and  Van 
writhed  fearfully,  ending  with  a  scream  "  I've 
ki  "  —  but  Polly,  clapping  her  hand  over  his 
mouth,  kept  the  words  back. 

Meanwhile  Percy  had  rushed  out  of  the 
house. 

"  Oh !  "  cried  Polly,  when  this  new  alarm 
sprang  up,  and  everybody  was  running  hither 
and  thither  to  comfort  him  by  the  assurance 
that  Joel  was  not  much  hurt,  "  do,  Uncle  Mason 
and  Jasper,  let  me  go  with  you." 

"  No,  no,  you  stay  here,  Polly,"  cried  Jas- 
per, throwing  wide  the  heavy  front  door. 
"  Brother  Mason  and  I  will  find  him.  Don't 
worry,  Polly." 

"  I  know  I  could  help,"  said  Polly,  hang- 
ing over  the  stair-railing.  "Oh!  do  let  me," 
she  begged. 

"  No,  no,  child,"  said  Mr.  Whitney,  quickly. 
"  Stay  where  you  are,  and  take  care  of  the 
others.  Now,  then,  Jasper,  is  Jencks  ready 
with  the  lantern  ?  " 

"  All  right,"  said  Jasper.     "  Come  on." 

Polly,  longing  to  fly  to  the  window  to  watch 
at  least,  the  lantern's  twinkling  light  across  the 


OF   MANY   THINGS  387 

lawn,  hurried  off  to  comfort  Aunt  Whitney, 
who  at  this  new  stage  in  the  affairs,  was 
walking  her  room,  biting  her  lips  to  keep  from 
screaming  the  terror  that  clutched  at  her  heart. 

"Oh,  Polly!"  she  cried,  "I'm  so  glad 
you've  come.  I  should  die  if  left  alone  here 
much  longer;  "  her  soft  hair  floated  down  the 
white  robe,  and  the  blue  eyes  were  filled  with 
tears.  "  Do  tell  me,  don't  you  think  they  will 
find  Percy?" 

"  Yes,  indeed !  "  declared  Polly,  cuddling  up 
to  the  little  woman.  "  Oh,  Aunty !  remember 
when  Dicky's  leg  was  broken." 

"  But  this  is  much  worse,"  said  Mrs.  Whit- 
ney, sobbing,  and  holding  close  to  Polly's 
warm  hand. 

"  But  we  thought  he  was  dead,"  and  Polly 
gave  a  little  shiver. 

"Don't  —  don't,"  begged  Mrs.  Whitney, 
clasping  her  hands ;    "Oh,  Polly!    don't." 

"  But  he  wasn't,  you  see,  Aunty,"  Polly  hur- 
ried on,  "  and  so  now  you  know  it  will  come 
out  all  right  about  Per  —  There !  Oh !  they've 
found  him !  "  as  a  shout  from  the  lawn  rang 
out. 


388       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"Do  you  suppose  it,  Polly?"  cried  Mrs. 
Whitney,  breathlessly.  "  Oh !  do  run  to  the 
window  and  see !  " 

So  Polly  ran  to  the  window  in  the  next 
room  that  overlooked  that  part  of  the  lawn 
where  Mr.  Whitney  and  Jasper  were  search- 
ing, and  strained  her  gaze  up  and  down,  and 
in  every  direction. 

"Have  they?  oh!  have  they?"  cried  Mrs. 
Whitney.     "Oh,  Polly!    do  tell  me." 

"  I  don't  see  any  of  them,"  said  Polly, 
listening  eagerly  for  another  cry,  "  but  I  do 
believe  they've  found  him." 

"  Do  come  back,"  implored  Mrs.  Whitney ; 
"  there,  now,  don't  go  again,  Polly,"  as  Polly 
hurried  to  her  side,  "  but  just  hold  my  hand." 

"  I  will,"  said  Polly,  "  just  as  tight  as  I  can, 
Aunty." 

"  Oh  —  oh !  Percy  is  so  much  worse  off  than 
Joel,"  wailed  Mrs.  Whitney.  "  Oh !  to  do  such 
a  thing,  Polly !  "  she  groaned. 

"  They  only  meant  it  in  fun,"  said  Polly, 
swallowing  hard  the  lump  in  her  throat,  "  don't 
let  us  talk  about  it,  Aunty." 

"  And  Van,"  cried  Mrs.  Whitney,  running 


OF   MANY   THINGS  389 

on.  "  Oh !  my  poor,  poor  boys.  Will  your 
mother  ever  forgive  me,  Polly?" 

"  Oh,  Aunty!  don't  talk  so,"  said  Polly  ten- 
derly ;  "  and  we  both  ought  to  be  out  helping. 
There's  Van,  Aunty;  just  think  how  he  feels." 

"  I  can't  go  near  him,"  cried  Mrs.  Whitney 
in  distress,  "  as  long  as  he  is  in  Joel's  room, 
for  I  can't  see  your  mother's  eyes,  Polly.  It 
would  kill  me  to  have  her  look  at  me." 

The  door  opened  at  this,  and  the  trail  of  a 
long  silken  wrapper  was  heard  on  the  floor. 

"  Mrs.  Chatterton,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney,  rais- 
ing her  head  and  looking  at  the  new-comer 
with  as  much  anger  as  her  gentle  face  could 
contain,  "  I  really  cannot  see  you  in  my  room 
to-night.  Excuse  me,  but  I  am  unstrung  by 
all  that  has  occurred.  Will  you  please  not  come 
in"  — 

"  I  thought  I  might  sit  with  you,"  said  Mrs. 
Chatterton.  In  the  brief  interval  since  the 
arousing  of  the  household,  she  had  contrived 
to  make  a  perfect  breakfast  toilet,  and  she 
folded  her  hands  over  her  handsome  gown. 
"  Polly  might  then  be  with  her  mother.  But 
if  you  don't  wish  me  to  remain,  I  will  go." 


390       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  I  do  not  need  you,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney, 
decidedly,  and  she  turned  to  Polly  again. 

Mrs.  Chatterton  moved  away,  and  closed  the 
door  after  her. 

"  Aunty,"  said  Polly,  "  she  really  wants  to 
help  you." 

"  Polly,  you  needn't  say  anything  about  it," 
exclaimed  Mrs.  Whitney,  like  many  other  gen- 
tle creatures,  when  roused,  becoming  unreason- 
ably prejudiced ;  "  I  cannot  bear  the  sight  of 
that  woman.  She  has  been  here  so  long,  and 
is  so  intensely  disagreeable  to  us  all." 

Polly's  eyes  became  very  round,  and  she 
held  her  breath  in  astonishment. 

"  Don't  look  so,  child,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney 
at  length,  "  you  don't  understand,  my  dear. 
But  you  would  if  you  were  in  my  place  "  — 

"  She's  sorry  for  it,"  said  Polly,  finding 
her  tongue  at  last. 

"  And  father  is  nearly  worn  out  with  her," 
continued  Mrs.  Whitney.  "  And  now  to  come 
parading  her  attentions  upon  me,  it  "  — 

"Who — who?"  Dicky,  now  that  the  ex- 
citement in  Joel's  room  had  died  down,  had 


OF   MANY   THINGS 


391 


lost  his  relish  for  it,  and  he  now  pranced  into 
Mrs.  Whitney's  room.     "Who,  mamma?" 

"  Mrs.  Chatterton,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney  un- 
guardedly. "  She  has  disagreeably  intruded 
herself  upon  me." 

"Has  she  been  in  here?"  asked  Dick  in 
astonishment. 

"  Yes;  asking  if  she  can  sit  with  me,"  and 
Polly  started  at  the  look  in  the  usually  soft 
blue  eyes. 

"And  you  wouldn't  let  her?"  asked  Dick, 
stopping  short  and  regarding  his  mother  curi- 
ously. 

"  Of  course  not,  Dicky,"  she  made  haste  to 
say. 

"  Then  I  think  you  did  very  wrong,"  de- 
clared Dick  flatly. 

"  Oh,  Dick !  "  exclaimed  Polly  in  consterna- 
tion. 

"  And  you  don't  act  like  my  mother  at  all," 
said  Dick,  standing  quite  stiffly  on  his  sturdy 
legs,  and  gazing  at  her  with  disapprobation. 
"  Didn't  Mrs.  Chatterton  save  my  life,"  he  ex- 
ploded, "  when  the  real  burglar  was  going  for 
me?    Say,  didn't  she?  "  he  cried. 


392 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


"  I  have  yet  to  find  out  that  is  the  truth," 
said  Mrs.  Whitney,  finding  her  voice.  "  Oh, 
Dicky,"  she  added,  hurt  that  he  should  defend 
another,  worst  of  all,  Mrs.  Chatterton,  "  don't 
talk  about  her." 

"  But  I  ought  to  talk  about  her,"  persisted 
Dick.  "  She  saved  me  as  much  as  she  could. 
Because  she  won't  let  anybody  thank  her,  I 
like  her  more  myself.  I'm  going  to  stay  with 
her." 

With  that,  he  held  his  head  high,  and 
marched  to  the  door. 

"  Dick,  Dick !  "  called  his  mother,  "  come 
back,  dear." 

Dick  slowly  turned  and  made  his  way  to  her 
side,  but  he  still  regarded  her  with  disapproval. 

"  Dick,  I  want  you  to  go  to  Mrs.  Chatter- 
ton's  room,  and  say  that  I  am  sorry  I  refused 
her  offer  to  help,  and  that  I  would  like  to 
have  her  sit  with  me.  Remember,  say  I  am 
sorry  I  refused  her  offer  to  help,  Dicky."  She 
leaned  forward  and  kissed  her  boy,  her  long, 
soft  hair  falling  like  a  veil  around  the  two 
faces. 

Dick  threw  his  arms  around  her  neck. 


OF   MANY   THINGS  393 

"  Now,  you're  a  brick !  "  he  declared  im- 
pulsively. "  I'll  bring  the  old  lady,  and  we'll 
both  sit  with  you." 

So  Polly  was  free  to  run  back  to  Mamsie. 
On  the  way  there  she  opened  the  door  of 
Phronsie's  little  room,  just  out  of  Father  and 
Mother  Fisher's. 

"  How  good  it  is  that  she  sleeps  through 
it  all,"  said  Polly,  listening  to  the  regular 
breathing.  Then  she  stole  across  the  room 
and  stood  beside  the  small  bed. 

"  She  looks  just  as  she  did  the  night  she 
took  her  new  shoes  to  bed,"  thought  Polly; 
"  one  hand  is  over  her  head,  exactly  as  it  was 
then.  Oh,  Phronsie!  to  think  that  you're  to 
have  no  party  to-morrow,"  and  she  turned  off 
with  a  sigh,  went  out,  and  closed  the  door. 

"  Percy's  here  —  all  right !  "  cried  Jasper, 
running  over  the  stairs  to  meet  her  at  the 
top. 

His  eyes  were  gleaming  with  excitement, 
and  his  face  was  torn  and  bleeding. 

"Are  you  hurt?"  cried  Polly,  feeling  as  if 
the  whole  family  were  bound  to  destruction. 
"Oh,  Jasper!   did  you  fall?" 


394 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


"  Nothing  but  a  scratch.  I  was  fool  enough 
to  forget  the  ledge,  and  walked  off  for  my 
pains  "  — 

"  Oh,  Jasper !  "  cried  Polly,  with  paling 
cheeks,  "  let  me  bathe  it  for  you,  do ;  "  her 
strength  began  to  return  at  the  thought  of 
action,  and  she  sprang  for  a  basin  of  water. 

"  Nonsense.  No,  Polly !  "  cried  Jasper,  with 
a  quick  hand  detaining  her,  "  it's  nothing  but 
a  mere  scratch,  I  tell  you,  but  I  suppose  it  looks 
terribly.  I'll  go  and  wash  it  off.  Run  and 
tell  his  mother  that  Percy  is  found." 

"Is  he  all  right?"  asked  Polly  fearfully, 
holding  her  breath,  for  the  answer. 

"  Sound  as  a  nut,"  declared  Jasper ;  "  we 
found  him  streaking  it  down  the  locust  path; 
he  said  he  was  going  to  run  off  to  sea." 

"Run  off  to  sea!"  repeated  Polly.  "Oh, 
Jasper !  " 

"  Well,  he  was  so  frightened,  of  course  he 
didn't  know  what  to  say,"  replied  Jasper. 
"  And  ashamed,  too,  he  didn't  care  to  show 
his  head  at  home.  I  don't  know  as  I  blame 
him,  Polly.     Well,  it's  too  bad  about  Phron- 


OF   MANY    THINGS  395 

sie's  party,  isn't  it?"  added  Jasper,  mopping 
up  his  face  as  the  two  went  down  the  hall. 

"  Yes,"  said  Polly  with  a  sigh,  stopping  at 
Mrs.  Whitney's  door,  "  but,  oh !  think  how 
happy  we  are  now  that  Percy  is  safe,  Jas- 
per." 

"  Still,  it's  too  bad  for  Phronsie,"  repeated 
Jasper,  looking  back. 

But  Joel  flatly  declared  that  the  first  one  that 
even  so  much  as  hinted  that  a  single  item  of 
the  arrangements  for  Phronsie's  getting-well 
party  should  be  changed,  he'd  make  it  dis- 
agreeable as  only  he  knew  how,  for  that  one 
when  he  got  up  from  his  bed.  "  Yes,  sir !  " 
and  he  scolded,  and  fretted,  and  fussed,  and 
laid  down  the  law  so  generally  to  all,  not  ex- 
cepting the  doctor,  that  at  last  it  was  decided 
to  let  the  party  go  on.  Then  he  lay  back 
against  the  pillows  quite  exhausted,  but  with 
a  beatific  face. 

"  I  should  think  you  would  be  tired,  Joe," 
exclaimed  Jasper,  "  you've  bullied  us  so.  Dear 
me!  people  ought  to  be  angelic  when  they're 
sick,  at  least." 

"  If  you'd  had  him  to  take  care  of  as  I  did," 


396       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

observed  Dr.  Fisher,  "  you'd  know  better ; 
goodness  me !  the  little  brown  house  scarcely 
held  him  when  he  was  getting  over  the 
measles." 

"  What's  the  use  of  being  sick,"  said  Joel 
reflectively,  turning  on  his  pillow,  "  if  you  can't 
make  people  stand  round,  I'd  like  to  know. 
Now  that  point's  settled  about  Phronsie's  party, 
won't  you  all  go  out?  I'd  like  to  speak  to 
Father  Fisher  a  moment." 

"  You  don't  mean  me,  Joey?  "  said  Mother 
Fisher  at  the  head  of  the  bed,  holding  her  boy's 
hand. 

"Yes;  you,  too,  Mamsie,"  said  Joel,  giving 
her  an  affectionate  glance,  "  it's  something  that 
only  the  doctor  and  I  are  to  know." 

"  You're  not  hurt  anywhere  else,  are  you, 
Joey?  "  asked  his  mother,  a  sudden  alarm  leap- 
ing to  her  black  eyes. 

"  Not  a  scratch,"  said  Joel  promptly.  "  I 
want  to  see  Father  Fisher  about  something. 
Some  time  you  shall  know,  Mamsie."  He  gave 
her  hand  a  sudden  pressure,  then  let  it  go. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  better  step  out,  my 
dear,"   said  the  little  doctor,   nodding  to  his 


OF   MANY    THINGS 


397 


wife.  So  Mrs.  Fisher,  smothering  a  sigh,  went 
out  reluctantly. 

"All  out?"  asked  Joel,  trying  to  raise  his 
head  to  see  for  himself. 

"  Every  soul,"  said  Dr.  Fisher. 

"  Well,  see  here,  will  you,"  said  Joel,  point- 
ing to  the  table,  the  schoolbooks  scattered  as 
he  had  left  them,  "  pack  those  things  all  away 
in  the  closet  on  the  shelf,  you  know,  and  put 
the  rubbish  on  the  floor  there,  back  on  the 
table?" 

Dr.  Fisher  could  not  for  his  life,  refrain  from 
asking  curiously,  as  he  did  as  requested,  "  Been 
having  a  pull  at  the  books,  eh,  Joe?  " 

"  Um  —  um  —  maybe,"  said  Joel,  twisting 
uneasily.  "  Well,  now,  come  here,  please, 
Father  Fisher." 

The  little  man  turned  away  from  the  table, 
with  its  sprawling  array  of  delightful  things, 
to  stand  by  the  bedside. 

"  You  must  get  me  well  as  soon  as  you  can," 
said  Joel  confidentially. 

"All  right;  I  understand,"  Dr.  Fisher 
nodded  professionally. 


398       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  And  whatever  you  say,  don't  let  it  be  that 
I  must  be  careful  of  my  eyes,"  said  Joel. 

"  All  right;  that  is,  if  you  get  up  quickly," 
agreed  the  doctor. 

"  That's  all,"  said  Joel  in  great  satisfaction. 
"  Now,  call  Mamsie  in  and  the  others." 

And  in  the  morning,  no  one  told  Phronsie 
what  had  happened  the  night  before.  She  only 
knew  that  Joel  was  not  very  well,  and  was 
going  to  keep  his  room;  all  her  pleadings  to 
do  something  for  him  being  set  one  side  by 
Grandpapa's  demands  upon  her  instant  atten- 
tion whenever  the  idea  suggested  itself  to  her. 
And  so  the  time  wore  along  till  the  party  began. 

Alexia  was  the  first  to  arrive,  her  bowl  of 
orange  jelly  in  her  hand,  and  after  her,  a  tall 
slight  figure  jumped  from  the  carriage,  her 
flaxen  hair  streaming  out  in  two  pale  braids. 

"  I  thought  I'd  pick  Cathie  up,"  said  Alexia 
carelessly ;  "  had  to  pass  her  door,  you  know. 
O  dear  me,  what  perfectly  dreadful  times  you 
had  last  night,  Polly  Pepper." 

"  I  didn't  bring  macaroons,"  said  Cathie, 
"  as  I  really  think  that  they  wouldn't  be  good 
for  Phronsie.     Besides,  I've  forgotten  how  to 


OF   MANY    THINGS  399 

make  them,  and  our  cook  was  cross  and  said  I 
shouldn't  come  into  her  kitchen.  But  I  bought 
a  doll  for  Phronsie;  my  mother  said  it  would 
be  a  great  deal  more  sensible  present,"  and  she 
hugged  the  long  box  under  her  arm  with  great 
satisfaction. 

"  O  dear !  dear !  "  groaned  Alexia,  falling 
back  with  Polly  as  the  three  raced  along  the 
hall,  "  she  showed  it  to  me  in  the  carriage,  and 
it's  a  perfect  guy,  besides  counting  one  more." 

But  afflictions  like  this  were  small  to  Polly 
now,  and  although  for  the  next  hour  it  rained 
dolls  into  Phronsie's  puzzled  hands,  Polly 
helped  her  to  thank  the  givers  and  to  dispose 
them  safely  on  neighboring  chairs  and  tables 
and  sofas. 

Mrs.  Chatterton's  was  the  pattern  of  old  Mr. 
King's  phonograph  doll,  at  which  discovery 
he  turned  upon  her  with  venom  in  his  eye. 

"  My  gift  to  my  little  granddaughter,"  tak- 
ing especial  care  to  emphasize  the  relationship, 
"  has  always  been  a  doll,  I  suppose  you  knew 
that,  Cousin  Eunice;  and  to  try  to  procure 
one  exactly  like  the  one  I  have  purchased,  is 
very  presuming  in  you,  to  say  the  least." 


400 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


"  And  why  may  I  not  present  a  doll  to 
Phronsie  Pepper,  if  I  care  to,  pray  tell?"  de- 
manded Mrs.  Chatterton  in  a  high,  cold  tone. 

"  Why?  because  you  have  always  showed  a 
marked  dislike  for  the  child,"  cried  old  Mr. 
King  angrily,  "  that's  why,  Cousin  Eunice." 

"Grandpapa  —  Grandpapa,"  said  Phronsie, 
laying  her  hand  on  his  arm. 

"  And  to  parade  any  special  affection,  such 
as  the  presentation  of  a  gift  indicates,  is  a 
piece  of  presumption  on  your  part,  I  say  it 
again,  Cousin  Eunice." 

"  Grandpapa !  "  said  Phronsie  again  at  his 
elbow. 

"  Now  Phronsie,"  turning  to  her,  "  you  are 
to  take  that  doll,"  pointing  to  a  gorgeous  affair 
reposing  on  the  sofa,  with  Mrs.  Algernon  Chat- 
terton's  card  attached  to  it,  "  and  go  over  to 
Mrs.  Chatterton,  and  say,  very  distinctly,  '  I 
cannot  accept  this  gift; '  mind  you  say  it  dis- 
tinctly, Phronsie,  that  there  may  be  no  mistake 
in  the  future." 

"Oh,  Grandpapa!"  cried  Phronsie  in  dis- 
may. 


OF   MANY   THINGS 


401 


"  Yes,  child ;  I  know  what  is  best  for  you. 
Take  that  doll,  and  do  exactly  as  I  bid  you." 

A  dreadful  pause  fell  upon  the  room.  Polly 
clasped  her  hands,  while  Alexia  and  the  other 
girls  huddled  into  a  corner  saying  softly,  "  Oh! 
how  perfectly  dreadful!  " 

"  No  use  to  say  anything  to  father  when  he 
looks  like  that,"  groaned  Jasper,  when  Polly 
besought  him  to  try  his  influence,  "  his  blood 
is  up  now ;  he's  borne  a  good  deal,  you  know, 
Polly." 

"  O  dear,  dear !  "  whispered  Polly,  back 
again,  "  just  look  at  Mrs.  Chatterton's  face, 
and  at  poor  Phronsie's;  can't  you  do  some- 
thing, Jasper?  " 

"  I'm  afraid  not,"  said  Jasper  gloomily. 
"  No ;  he's  making  her  give  it  back ;  see, 
Polly." 

"  You'll  know  it's  for  the  best,"  Mr.  King 
was  repeating  as  he  led  the  child  to  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton  standing  cold  and  silent  at  the  end  of 
the  room,  "  some  time,  child,  and  then  you'll 
thank  me  that  I  saved  you  from  further  annoy- 
ance of  this  sort.  There,  Cousin  Eunice,  is 
your  gift,"   taking  the  doll    from   Phronsie's 


402       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

hand,  and  placing  it  in  the  long,  jeweled  one. 
"  My  little  granddaughter  receives  presents 
only  from  those  who  love  her.  All  others  are 
unwarranted,  and  must  be  returned." 

Phronsie  burst  out  tearfully,  "  She's  sorry, 
Grandpapa,  I  know  she  is, %  and  she  loves  me 
now.     Please  let  me  keep  the  doll." 

But  Mrs.  Chatterton  had  left  the  room,  the 
doll  in  her  hand. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

AWAY. 

A  ND  after  that  everybody  had  to  be  as 
^*-  gay  as  possible,  to  keep  Phronsie's  sad 
little  face  from  being  flooded  with  tears. 

"  Dear  me !  "  exclaimed  Jasper,  "  here  comes 
Candace!  Now  what  do  you  suppose  she  has 
for  you,  Phronsie?  " 

Candace  sailed  through  the  doorway  with 
ample  satisfaction  with  everything  and  herself 
in  particular. 

"  Whar's  little  Miss?"  she  demanded,  her 
turban  nodding  in  all  directions,  and  her  black 
eyes  rolling  from  side  to  side. 

"  There,  Candace,"  said  some  one,  "  over  in 
the  corner  with  Jasper." 

"Oh!  I  see  her,"  said  Candace,  waddling 
over  to  them.  "  Well,  now,  Phronsie,  seein' 
403 


404 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


you  couldn't  come  to  me  for  somethin'  I  made 
'xpressly  fer  you,  w'y,  Candace  has  to  come  to 
you.     See  dat  now,  chile !  " 

She  unrolled  the  parcel,  disclosing  the  won- 
derful doll  adorned  with  Candace's  own  hair, 
and  "  Ole  Missus'  ruffles,"  then  stood  erect, 
her  bosom  swelling  with  pride  and  delight. 

"  O  my  goodness  me !  "  exclaimed  Alexia, 
tumbling  back  after  the  first  and  only  glance, 
and  nearly  overturning  Cathie  who  was  looking 
over  her  shoulder.  "  Polly  Pepper,  oh  dear 
me !  "  Then  she  sat  down  on  the  floor  and 
laughed  till  she  cried. 

"  Hush  —  hush !  "  cried  Polly,  running  over 
to  her,  "  do  stop,  Alexia,  and  get  up.  She'll 
hear  you,  and  we  wouldn't  hurt  her  feelings 
for  the  world.    Do  stop,  Alexia." 

"  O  dear  me !  "  cried  Alexia  gustily,  and 
holding  her  sides  while  she  waved  back  and 
forth ;  "  if  it  had  been  —  a  —  respectable  doll, 
but  that  —  horror !    O  dear  me !  " 

"  Stop  —  stop !  "  commanded  Polly,  shaking 
her  arm. 

But  Alexia  was  beyond  stopping  herself. 
And    in   between    Candace's    delighted  recital 


AWAY 


405 


how  she  combed  "  de  ha'r  to  take  de  curl  out," 
and  how  "  ole  Missus'  ruffles  was  made  into  de 
clothes,"  came  the  peals  of  laughter  that  finally 
made  every  one  in  the  room  stop  and  look  at 
the  girls. 

"  Candace,  come  into  my  '  den  '  and  get  a 
pattern  for  some  new  pins  I  want  you  to  make 
for  me,"  cried  Jasper,  desperately  dragging 
her  off. 

"  It's  no  use  to  lecture  me,"  said  Alexia,  sit- 
ting straight  as  Candace's  feet  shuffled  down 
the  hall,  and  wiping  her  face  exhaustedly.  "  I 
know  it  was  dreadful  —  O  dear  me!  Don't 
anybody  speak  to  me,  or  I  shall  disgrace  my- 
self again!  " 

"  Now,  Phronsie,  what  do  you  suppose  we 
are  to  do  next  ?  " 

Phronsie  looked  up  into  old  Mr.  King's  face. 

"  I  don't  know,  Grandpapa,"  she  said  won- 
deringly. 

"  Well,  now,  my  dear,  you've  had  Punch 
and  Judy,  and  these  nice  children,"  waving  his 
hand  to  indicate  the  delegation  from  the 
orphan  asylum,  "  have  sung  beautifully  for 
you.     Now  what  comes  next,  Phronsie?" 


4o6      FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

"  I  don't  know,  Grandpapa,"  repeated 
Phronsie. 

"  When  gifts  become  burdensome  they  no 
longer  are  kindnesses,"  said  Mr.  King.  "  Now, 
Phronsie,  I  have  found  out  —  never  mind  how ; 
little  birds,  you  know,  sometimes  fly  around 
telling  people  things  they  ought  to  know.  Well, 
I  have  discovered  in  some  way  that  my  little 
girl  has  too  many  children  to  care  for." 

Here  Phronsie's  brown  eyes  became  very 
wide. 

"  And  when  there  are  too  many  children  in 
the  nest,  Phronsie,  why,  they  have  to  go  out 
into  the  world  to  try  their  fortunes  and  make 
other  homes.  Now  there  are  so  many  poor 
little  girls  who  haven't  any  children,  Phronsie. 
Think  of  that,  dear;   and  you  have  so  many." 

Phronsie  at  this  drew  nearer  and  stole  her 
hand  into  his. 

"  Now  what  is  to  be  done  about  it?  "  asked 
the  old  gentleman,  putting  his  other  broad  palm 
over  her  little  one  and  holding  it  fast.  "  Hey, 
my  pet  ?  " 

"  Can't  we  buy  them  some  children  ?  "  asked 
Phronsie  with   warm   interest.     "  Oh,    Grand- 


AWAY  407 

papa  dear,  do  let  us;  I  have  moneyfin^my 
bank." 

"  Phronsie,"  said  the  old  gentleman/  going 
to  the  heart  of  the  matter  at  once  and  lifting 
her  to  his  lap,  "  I  really  think  the  time  has 
come  to  give  away  some  of  your  dolls.  I  really 
do,  child." 

Phronsie  gave  a  start  of  incredulity  and 
peered  around  at  him. 

"  I  really  do.  You  are  going  abroad  to  be 
gone  —  well,  we'll  say  a  year.  And  your  dolls 
would  be  so  lonely  without  anything  to  do  but 
to  sit  all  day  and  think  of  their  little  mother. 
And  there  are  so  many  children  who  would  love 
them  and  make  them  happy."  Now  Mr.  King's 
white  hair  was  very  near  the  yellow  waves 
floating  over  his  shoulder,  so  that  none  but 
Phronsie's  ears  caught  the  next  words.  "  It's 
right,  Phronsie  dear;  I'd  do  it  if  I  were  you," 
he  said  in  a  low  voice. 

"Do  you  want  it,  Grandpapa?"  asked 
Phronsie  softly. 

"  I  do,  child ;  but  not  unless  you  are  will- 
ing"_ 

"  Then  I  do,"  declared  Phronsie,  sitting  quite 


4o8       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

straight  on  his  knee.  And  she  gave  a  relieved 
sigh.  "  Oh,  Grandpapa,  if  we  only  had  the 
poor£  children  now !  "  she  exclaimed,  dread- 
fully excited. 

"  Come,  then."  Old  Mr.  King  set  her  on  her 
feet.  "  Clear  the  way  there,  good  people ;  we 
are  going  to  find  some  poor  children  who  are 
waiting  for  dolls,"  and  he  threw  wide  the  door 
into  a  back  passage,  and  there,  presided  over 
by  Jencks,  and  crowding  for  the  first  entrance, 
was  a  score  of  children  with  outstretched  hands. 

"  Oh — oh!"  exclaimed  Phronsie  with  cheeks 
aflame. 

"  Please,  he  said  we  was  to  have  dolls," 
cried  one  hungry-eyed  girl,  holding  out  both 
her  hands.  "  I've  never  had  one.  Please  give 
me  one  quick." 

"  Never  had  one  ?  "  echoed  Phronsie,  tak- 
ing a  step  toward  her. 

"  Only  a  piece,  Miss,  I  found  in  a  rag-barrel. 
Please  give  me  one  quick." 

"  She's  never  had  a  doll  —  only  a  piece," 
repeated  Phronsie,  turning  back  to  the  family, 
unable  to  contain  this  information. 

"Ask  the  others  if  they  have  had  any?" 


AWAY 


409 


said  Mr.  King,  leaning  against  a  tall  cabinet. 
"  Try  that  girl  there  in  a  brown  plaid  dress." 

"Have  you  ever  had  a  doll?"  asked 
Phronsie  obediently,  looking  over  at  the  girl 
indicated,  and  holding  her  breath  for  the 
answer. 

At  this,  the  girl  in  the  brown  plaid  dress 
burst  into  tears,  which  so  distressed  Phronsie 
that  she  nearly  cried. 

"  Yes,  but  it  died,"  said  the  girl  after  a  little. 

"  Oh,  Grandpapa,  her  doll  died !  "  exclaimed 
Phronsie  in  horror. 

"  No,  it  didn't,  Jane,"  corrected  another  girl, 
"  the  dog  et  it ;  you  know  he  did." 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  said  Jane,  between  small 
sobs,  "  it  died,  and  we  couldn't  have  any 
fun'ral,  'cause  the  dog  had  et  it." 

"Well,  now,  Phronsie,"  exclaimed  Mr.  King, 
getting  away  from  the  support  of  the  cabinet, 
"  I  think  it's  time  that  we  should  make  some 
of  these  children  happy.  Don't  you  want  to 
take  them  up  to  the  playroom  and  distribute 
the  dolls?" 

"  No,  no,"  protested  Phronsie  suddenly,  "  I 
must  go  up  and  tell  my  children.     They  will 


4io 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


understand  it  better  then,  Grandpapa.  I'll  be 
back  in  a  very  few  minutes,"  and  going  out 
she  went  quickly  upstairs,  and  after  a  while 
returned  with  both  arms  full. 

"  This  doll  is  for  you,"  she  said  gravely,  put- 
ting a  doll  attired  in  a  wonderful  pink  satin 
costume  into  Jane's  arms.  "  I've  told  her  about 
your  dog,  and  she's  a  little  frightened,  so  please 
be  careful." 

"  What's  the  fun  down  there  now  ?  "  asked 
Joel  of  Van,  who  with  Percy  could  not  be  per- 
suaded to  leave  his  bedside  a  moment,  "  open 
the  door,  do,  and  let's  hear  it." 

So  Van  threw  wide  the  door. 

*'  Go  out  and  listen,  Percy,  will  you  ?  "  he 
said. 

"  I  don't  want  to,"  said  Percy,  who  shared 
Van's  wish  to  keep  in  the  background. 

"  You  two  fellows  act  like  muffs,"  said  Joel. 
"  Now  if  you  want  me  to  get  well,  go  out,  do, 
and  tell  me  what  the  fun  is  going  on  down 
there." 

So  persuaded,  the  two  boys  stole  out  into 
the  hall  in  time  to  see  Phronsie  go  down  the 
stairs   with   her   armful,    and   carefully   using 


AWAY 


411 


their  ears  they  soon  rushed  back  with  "  Phron- 
sie's  giving  away  her  dolls !  " 

"  Stuff  and  nonsense!  "  exclaimed  Joel,  "  if 
you  can't  bring  back  anything  better  than  that 
yarn,  you  might  as  well  stay  here." 

"  But  I  tell  you  it's  true,"  declared  Van, 
"isn't  it,  Percy?" 

"  Yes,  it  is,"  said  Percy.  "  I  heard  her  dis- 
tinctly say,  '  This  doll  is  for  you  '  — -  and  she 
had  her  arms  full,  so  I  suppose  she's  going  to 
give  those  away  too  "  — 

"  A  likely  story,"  said  Joel,  bursting  into  a 
laugh.  At  the  noise  up  in  the  boys'  room, 
Mother  Fisher  ran  quickly  over  the  stairs. 

"  Oh,  boys !  what  is  it  ?  Joel,  are  you 
worse  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed,"  said  Joel,  "  I  was  laughing. 
Percy  and  Van  have  been  telling  such  a  big 
story.  Mamsie,  they  actually  said  that  Phron- 
sie  was  giving  away  her  dolls." 

"Is  that  all?"  cried  Mrs.  Fisher  in  relief. 
"  Well,  so  she  is,  Joel." 

"  Phronsie  giving  away  her  dolls,  Mamsie?  " 
screamed  Joel.  "  Why,  what  does  Grandpapa 
say?" 


4I2       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

"  He's  the  very  one  that  proposed  it,"  said 
Mrs.  Fisher.  "  There,  Joey,  don't  get  excited, 
for  I  don't  know  what  the  doctor  will  say,"  as 
Joel  sank  back  on  his  pillow,  overcome  by  this 
last  piece  of  news. 

When  Phronsie  went  to  bed  that  night  "she 
clasped  Mr.  King's  new  gift  to  her  breast. 

"  Grandpapa,  dear,"  she  said  confidingly  as 
they  went  up  the  stairs  together,  "  do  you  know 
I  really  think  more  of  this  doll,  now  that  the 
others  are  gone?  Really  I  do,  Grandpapa,  and 
I  can  take  better  care  of  her,  because  I  shall 
have  more  time." 

"  So  you  will,  dear,"  assented  Mr.  King. 
"  Well,  Phronsie,  I  think  you  and  I,  dear, 
haven't  made  a  bad  day's  work." 

"  I  think  my  children  will  be  happy,"  said 
Phronsie  with  a  small  sigh,  "  because  you  see 
it's  so  nice  to  make  good  times  for  their  new 
mothers.  And,  Grandpapa,  I  couldn't  play  with 
each  one  more  than  once  a  week.  I  used  to 
try  to,  but  I  couldn't,  Grandpapa." 

"  Why  didn't  you  tell  me,  Phronsie,"  asked 
the  old  gentleman  a  bit  reproachfully  as  they 


AWAY 


413 


reached  the  top  step,  "  how  it  was,  dear  ?  You 
should  have  given  them  away  long  ago." 

"  Ah,  but,"  said  Phronsie,  slowly  shaking  her 
head,  "  I  didn't  want  to  give  them  away  be- 
fore; only  just  now,  Grandpapa,  and  I  think 
they  will  be  happy.  And  now  I'm  going  to 
take  this  newest  one  to  bed,  just  as  I  used  to 
take;  things  to  bed  years  ago,  when  I  was  a 
little  girl." 

And  after  all,  there  was  an  extension  of  time 
for  the  three  boys'  vacation,  Dr.  Marks  not 
getting  up  from  his  sudden  attack  of  fever  as 
quickly  as  was  expected.  But  there  came  a 
day  at  last,  when  Percy,  Van  and  David  bade 
Joel  "  good-by." 

"  It  won't  be  for  long,"  observed  that  in- 
dividual cheerfully,  "  you'll  be  back  in  three 
weeks." 

"  O  dear !  "  groaned  Percy  when  safe  within 
the  coach,  "  we've  ruined  all  his  chances.  He 
certainly  will  be  plucked  now  —  with  those 
three  weeks  to  make  up." 

Van  gathered  himself  up  and  leaned  for- 
ward in  his  corner. 

"  Don't  look  so,  Dave,"  he  cried  desperately. 


414 


FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


David  tried  to  smooth  the  troubled  lines  out 
of  his  face,  but  only  succeeded  in  making  it 
look  worse  than  before. 

"  And  it  will  kill  Mrs.  Fisher,"  Percy  con- 
tinued gloomily,  "  if  he  does  get  plucked,  as  of 
course  he  will." 

"  Keep  still,  will  you  ?  "  cried  Van,  his  irri- 
tation getting  beyond  bounds.  "  What's  the 
use  of  talking  about  a  thing  till  it's  done," 
which  had  the  effect  to  make  Percy  remember 
his  promise  to  Polly  and  close  his  mouth. 

But  Joel's  wound  healed  quicker  than  any 
one  supposed  it  possibly  could,  and  Percy  and 
Van  who  both  hated  to  write  letters,  gave  up 
much  time  on  the  playground  to  indite  daily 
bulletins,  so  that  he  declared  that  it  was  almost 
as  good  as  being  there  on  the  spot.  And 
Mother  Fisher  and  her  army  of  servants 
cleaned  the  great  stone  house  from  top  to  bot- 
tom, and  sorted,  and  packed  away,  and  made 
things  tidy  for  the  new  housekeeper  who  was 
to  care  for  them  in  her  absence,  till  Dr.  Fisher 
raised  his  eyebrows  and  hands  in  astonish- 
ment. 

"  1  really  must,"  he  said  one  day,  "  put  in 


AWAY  415 

a  remonstrance,  wife,  or  you'll  kill  yourself 
before  we  start." 

"Oh!  I'm  used  to  working,"  Mrs.  Fisher 
would  say  cheerily,  and  then  off  she  would 
fly  to  something  so  much  worse,  that  the  little 
doctor  was  speechless. 

And  Polly  set  herself  at  all  her  studies,  es- 
pecially French,  with  redoubled  vigor,  notwith- 
standing that  she  was  hampered  with  the 
faithful  attentions  of  the  schoolgirls  who 
fought  among  themselves  for  her  company, 
and  showered  her  with  pathetic  "  O  —  dear  — 
me  —  how  —  I  —  shall  —  miss  —  you,"  and 
with  tears  when  they  got  over  it.  And  Jasper 
buried  himself  in  his  den,  only  bursting  forth 
at  meal  times,  and  Mrs.  Whitney  bemoaned  all 
preparations  for  the  travelers'  departure,  and 
wished  a  thousand  times  that  she  had  not  given 
her  promise  to  keep  the  house  and  look  after 
the  boys.  And  everybody  who  had  the  slight- 
est claim  to  a  calling  acquaintance,  now  dropped 
in  upon  the  Kings,  and  Polly  had  her  "  good- 
by  party,"  and  it  was  pronounced  perfectly 
elegant  by  Alexia  and  her  set>  and  the  three 


4i 6       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

boys  came  home  for  the  long  vacation  —  and 
in  two  days  the  party  would  sail. 

"  Who  do  you  think  is  going  abroad  with 
us  ?  "  asked  Mr.  King  suddenly,  as  they  all 
sat  in  the  library  for  a  last  evening  talk; 
"  guess  quickly." 

"  Who?  "  cried  several  voices. 

"  Why,  I  thought  you  didn't  want  any  out- 
siders, father,"  exclaimed  Jasper  in  surprise. 

"  Well,  and  I  didn't  when  I  said  so,  but  cir- 
cumstances are  changed  now  —  come,  guess 
quickly,  some  one  ?  " 

"  The  Cabots,"  said  Jasper  at  a  venture. 

"  No,  no;  guess  again." 

"Mr.  Alstyne?" 

"No;   again." 

"  The  Bayleys,  the  Dyces,  the  Herrings," 
shouted  Mr.  Whitney  and  Van  and  Joel. 

"  No,  I  know,"  broke  in  Percy,  "  it's  Mrs. 
Chatterton,"  with  a  quick  glance  to  make  sure 
that  she  was  not  in  the  room. 

"No!"  thundered  Mr.  King.  "Oh!  how 
stupid  people  can  be  when  they  want  to.  Two 
persons  are  to  meet  us  in  New  York  to-morrow. 
I  didn't  tell  you  till  I  was  sure;    I  had  no 


AWAY  417 

desire  that  you  should  be  disappointed.  Now 
guess  again." 

"  Aunty,  do  you  know  ?  "  asked  Polly  sud- 
denly, leaning  back,  as  she  sat  on  the  rug  in 
front  of  the  fire,  to  lay  her  head  in  Mrs.  Whit- 
ney's lap. 

"  No,  I'm  sure  I  don't,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney, 
stroking  lightly  the  brown  hair,  with  a  pang 
to  think  how  long  it  would  be  before  she  should 
caress  it  again. 

"  How  any  one  can  desire  to  cross  the 
ocean,"  remarked  Mr.  Whitney,  folding  his 
hands  back  of  his  head  and  regarding  medita- 
tively the  glowing  fire,  "  is  more  than  I  can 
see.  That  I  never  shall  do  it  again  unless 
whipped  over,  I'm  morally  certain." 

"  Are  the  persons  men  ?  "  asked  Ben  sud- 
denly. 

"  One  is,"  replied  Mr.  King. 

"  And  the  other  is  a  woman?  " 

"  The  other  is  a  woman,"  said  Mr.  King. 
"  Well,  what  are  their  names  ?  Isn't  anybody 
smart  enough  to  guess  them?  Dear  me,  I've 
always  said  that  the  Peppers  were  remarkably 
bright,  and  the  rest  of  you  children  are  not 


4i8       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    MIDWAY 

behind  other  young  people.  Go  on,  try  again. 
Now  who  are  they  ?  " 

Polly  took  her  head  out  of  Mrs.  Whitney's 
lap,  and  rested  her  chin  in  her  hands,  Davie 
walked  up  and  down  the  room,  while  Ben  and 
the  two  Whitney  boys  hung  over  Mother 
Fisher's  chair. 

"  Dear  me !  "  fumed  Joel.  "  Who  ever  could 
guess.  There's  such  a  lot  of  people  in  the 
world  that  Grandpapa  knows.  It  might  be  any 
two  of  them  that  he  had  asked." 

Little  Dr.  Fisher's  eyes  roved  from  one  to 
the  other  of  the  group.  "  I  couldn't  begin  to 
guess  because  I  don't  know  many  of  your 
friends,"  he  said  quietly. 

"  You  know  these  two  people  very  well," 
said  Mr.  King,  laughing,  to  see  the  little  man's 
face. 

"  Now  I  think  I  know,"  said  Jasper  slowly, 
a  light  coming  into  his  gray  eyes,  "  but  I  don't 
suppose  it's  fair  to  guess,  for  I  saw  the  address 
on  a  letter  father  was  writing  two  or  three 
weeks  ago." 

"  You  did,  you  young  scamp,  you ! "  cried 
Mr.  King,  turning  on  him.    "  Well,  then,  'tisn't 


AWAY  419 

a  guess  for  you,  Jasper.  Keep  still,  my  boy, 
and  let  them  work  away  at  it.  Will  no  one 
guess  ?  " 

"  Mamsie,"  cried  Polly,  bounding  up  from 
the  ring,  nearly  upsetting  Phronsie,  who  was 
sitting  beside  her  in  a  brown  study,  "  can  it 
be  —  do  you  suppose  it  is  nice,  dear  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Henderson?" 

"Well,  Polly,"  said  Mr.  King,  beaming  at 
her,  "  you've  done  what  the  others  couldn't. 
Yes,  it  is  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henderson,  and  they 
are  going  with  us  to  stay  until  the  autumn." 

"  Good,  good !  "  cried  every  one  till  the  big 
room  seemed  full  of  joy. 

"Oh,  father!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Whitney, 
"  I'm  so  glad  you've  done  this.  They  were  so 
kind  to  Dicky  and  to  me  when  he  was  hurt." 

"  They  were  kind  to  Dicky  and  to  you,"  said 
her  father;  "and  besides,  Marian,  Mr.  Hen- 
derson is  a  man  who  doesn't  preach  at  you 
only  once  a  week,  and  Mrs.  Henderson  is  a  fine 
woman.  So  it's  a  pity  not  to  ease  up  things 
for  them  now  and  then.  Well,  how  do  you  like 
the  plan  ?  "  He  spoke  to  Dr.  Fisher,  but  his 
gaze  took  them  all  in. 


420 


FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


"Immensely,"  said  the  little  doctor;  which 
being  again  echoed  heartily,  by  all  the  rest,  old 
Mr.  King  began  to  feel  very  much  elated  at 
his  part  in  the  proceedings,  and  in  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  it  seemed  as  if  the  expedition  had 
been  especially  planned  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Hendersons,  so  naturally  had  it  all  come 
about. 

And  on  the  morrow,  the  whole  family, 
Kings,  Whitneys,  Fishers  and  Peppers,  turned 
their  backs  on  the  gray  stone  mansion  and  went 
down  to  the  city. 

And  Alexia  Rhys  persuaded  her  aunt  to  do 
her  semi-annual  shopping  at  this  time,  and  to 
take  her  too;  and  Mr.  Alstyne  also  had  busi- 
ness that  necessitated  his  going,  and  Mr.  Cabot 
and  Mary  Taylor,  and  her  father  found  they 
must  go  along  too;  and  Hamilton  Dyce  was 
there,  and  Pickering  Dodge,  of  course,  went 
to  be  company  for  Ben  on  the  way  back.  And 
at  the  last  moment  who  should  jump  on  the 
train  but  Livingston  Bayley. 

"  Had  a  telegram,"  he  explained ;  "  must  be 
there  at  noon.  So  glad  of  the  unexpected 
pleasure  of  meeting  you  all," 


AWAY 


421 


And  Cousin  Eunice  Chatterton  went ;  for,  at 
the  last  minute,  she  had  suddenly  discovered 
that  she  had  visited  at  the  gray  stone  mansion 
as  long  as  she  cared  to,  and  notified  the  family 
accordingly.  And  Mr.  King  had  so  far  made 
up  for  his  part  in  the  late  unpleasantness  as 
to  ask  her  to  go  with  the  party,  on  her  way 
to  her  nephew's  in  the  city.  So  there  she  was 
with  the  others,  bidding  them  good-by  on  the 
steamer. 

"  Phronsie,"  she  said  slowly,  under  cover 
of  the  babel  of  tongues,  "  you  are  a  good  child, 
and  I've  done  well  by  you.  This  little  bit  of 
paper,"  putting  it  into  her  hands,  "  contains  a 
message  to  Mr.  King,  which  you  are  to  give 
him  after  you  have  started." 

"  I  will  go  and  give  it  to  him  now,"  said 
Phronsie,  her  fingers  closing  over  the  bit. 

"  No,  no,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton  sharply, 
"do  as  I  say.  Remember,  on  no  account  to 
let  any  one  see  it  till  after  you  have  started. 
You  are  a  good  child,  Phronsie.  Now,  re- 
member to  do  as  you  are  bidden.  And  now, 
will  you  kiss  me,  child  ?  " 

Phronsie  lifted  her  eyes  and  fixed  them  on 


422 


FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    MIDWAY 


the  long,  white  face,  and  suddenly  raising  her- 
self on  her  tiptoes,  she  put  up  her  lips. 

"  Look  at  Phron,"  cried  Joel  in  the  midst  of 
the  group,  "  actually  kissing  Mrs.  Chatterton !  " 
and  everybody  turned  and  stared. 

Cousin  Eunice  dropped  her  veil  with  a  quick 
hand,  and  moved  off  with  a  stately  step,  but 
not  in  time  to  lose  young  Bayley's  drawl : 

"  'Pon  me  word  —  it's  the  most  extraor- 
dinary thing.  Phronsie,  come  here,  and  tell 
us  what  'twas  like."  But  Phronsie  stood  quite 
still  as  if  she  had  not  heard. 

"  Yes,  I  hope  you'll  have  a  nice  time,"  Pick- 
ering Dodge  was  saying  for  the  dozenth  time, 
with  eyes  for  no  one  but  Polly,  "  now  don't 
stay  away  for  a  year." 

Polly  with  her  heart  full  of  the  boys,  who 
were  hanging  on  either  side,  answered  at  ran- 
dom. 

"  Oh,  Ben !  I  can't  go,"  she  was  exclaiming, 
and  she  hid  her  head  on  his  shoulder,  so  Pick- 
ering turned  off. 

But  Joel  set  his  teeth  together.  "  You  must," 
he  said,  for  Ben  was  beyond  speech  with  the 
effort  to  control  himself. 


AWAY 


423 


"  I  canV  said  poor  Polly,  "  leave  you,  Ben, 
and  the  boys." 

And  then  Mrs.  Whitney  came  up  just  as 
Polly  was  near  breaking  down. 

"  My  dear  child,"  she  said,  taking  Polly's 
hands,  *'  you  know  it  is  right  for  you  to  go." 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  said  Polly,  fighting  her  tears. 

"  Then,  Polly,  be  brave,  dear,  and  don't  be- 
grudge me  my  three  new  boys,"  she  added  play- 
fully. "  Just  think  how  happy  I'm  to  be,  with 
six  such  splendid  fellows  to  call  my  own." 

Polly  smiled  through  her  tears. 

"  And  one  thing  more,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney 
in  a  low  voice,  "  when  you  feel  badly,"  look- 
ing steadily  at  Polly  and  the  three  boys,  "  re- 
member what  Dr.  Fisher  said;  that  if  your 
mother  didn't  stop  working,  and  rest,  she  would 
break  down." 

"  I'll  remember,"  said  Ben  hoarsely. 

"  So  will  I,"  said  David. 

"  And  I  will,"  said  Joel,  looking  everywhere 
but  into  Polly's  eyes. 

"  Well,  I  hope,  Miss  Polly,"  said  young  Mr. 
Bayley,  sauntering  up,  "that  you'll  have  an 
uncommonly  nice  time,  T  do  indeed.     I  may 


424 


FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 


run  across  in  September;  if  I  do,  we  shall 
probably  meet." 

"  Miss  Mary  Pepper  ?  "  suddenly  asked  a 
man  with  a  huge  basket  of  flowers,  and  paus- 
ing in  front  of  her. 

Young  Mr.  Bayley  smiled  indulgently  as  he 
could  not  help  reading  the  card  thrust  into  the 
flowers.  "  She  will  receive  my  flowers  at  in- 
tervals all  the  way  over,  if  the  steward  doesn't 
fail  me,"  he  reflected  with  satisfaction,  "  while 
this  boy's  will  fade  in  an  hour." 

"  Miss  Mary  Pepper  ?  "  the  florist's  messen- 
ger repeated,  extending  the  basket  to  Polly. 

"  It's  for  you,  Miss  Polly,"  said  young  Mr. 
Bayley.  "Let  me  relieve  you,"  taking  the  basket. 

"  Oh !    are  they  for  me  ?  "  cried  Polly. 

"  I  believe  you  are  Miss  Mary  Pepper,"  said 
young  Bayley.  "  Pretty,  aren't  they  ?  "  finger- 
ing the  roses,  and  glad  to  think  that  there  were 
orchids  among  the  flowers  to  which  his  card 
was  attached,  and  just  placed  under  the 
steward's  care. 

"  I  suppose  I  am,"  said  Polly,  with  a  little 
laugh,  "  but  it  seems  as  if  I  couldn't  be  any- 
thing but  Polly  Pepper.    Oh !  thank  you,  Pick- 


AWAY 


425 


ering,  for  these  lovely  roses,"  catching  sight 
of  him. 

"  Glad  you  like  them,"  said  Pickering  radi- 
antly. "  Say,  Polly,  don't  stay  away  a  whole 
year,  will  you  ?  " 

Young  Mr.  Bayley  set  the  basket  in  his  hand 
and  turned  on  his  heel  with  a  smile. 

"  Come,  Polly,  I  want  you,"  cried  Alexia, 
trying  to  draw  her  off,  "  you  know  she's  my 
very  best  friend,  Pickering,  and  I  haven't  had 
a  chance  to  say  one  word  to  her  this  morning. 
Come,  Polly." 

"  Polly,  come  here,"  called  Mrs.  Fisher. 

"  O  dear !  "  cried  Alexia  impatiently,  "  now 
that's  just  the  way  it  always  is.  It's  Polly 
here,  and  Polly  there,"  as  Polly  deserted  her 
and  ran  off  with  her  basket  of  roses. 

"  You  don't  do  any  of  the  calling,  of 
course,"  said  Pickering,  with  a  laugh. 

"  Well,  I'll  have  her  to  myself,"  declared 
Alexia  savagely,  "before  it's  time  for  us  to 
get  off  the  steamer,  see  if  I  don't." 

"  I  don't  believe  it,"  said  Pickering.  "  Look 
at  her  now  in  a  maelstrom  of  relatives.  You 
and  I,  Alexia,  are  left  out." 


426       FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   MIDWAY 

And  the  next  thing  Alexia  knew  somebody 
unceremoniously  helped  her  from  the  steamer 
with  a  "  Beg  pardon,  Miss,  but  you  must  get 
off,"  and  she  was  standing  on  the  wharf  in  a 
crowd  of  people,  looking  in  a  dazed  way  at 
Polly  Pepper's  fluttering  handkerchief,  while 
fast-increasing  little  ripples  of  greenish  water 
lay  between  them. 

And  Phronsie  was  running  up  to  Mr.  King : 

"  Here,  Grandpapa,  Mrs.  Chatterton  wanted 
me  to  give  you  this,"  unclasping  her  warm 
little  palm  where  the  bit  of  white  paper  lay. 

"  The  Dickens  she  did,"  exclaimed  the  old 
gentleman ;  "  so  she  has  had  a  last  word  with 
you,  has  she  ?  Well,  she  won't  get  another  for 
a  long  spell;  so  never  mind.  Now,  let's  see 
what  Cousin  Eunice  says.  Something  interest- 
ing, no  doubt."  He  spread  the  crumpled  bit 
straight  and  read,  Phronsie  standing  quite  still 
by  his  side: 

Cousin  Horatio: 

I  have  made  Phronsie  Pepper  my  sole  heir.  You 
may  like  it  or  not,  as  you  please.  The  thing  is  done, 
and  may  God  bless  Phronsie. 

Eunice  Chatterton. 


THE 

FAMOUS    PEPPER    BOOKS 

By  Margaret  Sidney 
IN      ORDER       OF       PUBLICATION 

Cloth       i2mo      Illustrated      $1.50  each 

Five  Little  Peppers  and  How  they  Grew. 
This  was  an  instantaneous  success ;  it  has  become  a  genuine  child  classic. 

Five   Little   Peppers  Midway. 
'•A  perfect  Cheeryble  of  a  book."— Boston  Herald. 

Five  Little  Peppers  Grown  Up. 

This  shows  the  Five  Little  Peppers  as  ,:  grown  up,"  with  all  the 
struggles  and  successes  of  young  manhood  and  womanhood. 

Phronsie   Pepper. 
It  is  the  story  of  Phronsie,  the  youngest  and  dearest  of  all  the  Peppers. 

The  Stories  Polly  Pepper  Told. 

Wherever  there  exists  a  child  or  a  "  grown-up,"  there  will  be  a  welcome 
for  these  charming  and  delightful  •'  Stories  Polly  Pepper  told. "J 

The  Adventures  of  Joel  Pepper. 

As  bright  and  just  as  certain  to  be  a  child's  favorite  as  the  others  in  the 
famous  series.    Harum-scarum  "Joey"  is  lovable. 

Five  Little  Peppers  Abroad. 

The  "Peppers  Abroad"  adds  another  most  delightful  book  to  this 
famous  series. 

Five  Little  Peppers  at  School. 
Of  all  the  fascinating  adventures  and  experiences  of  the  "Peppers,"  none 
will  surpass  those  contained  in  this  volume. 

Five  Little  Peppers  and  Their  Friends. 

The  friends  of  the  Peppers  are  legion  and  the  number  will  be  further 
increased  by  this  book. 

Ben  Pepper. 

This  story  centres  about  Ben,  "the  quiet,  steady-as-a-rockboy,"  while  the 
rest  of  the  Peppers  help  to  make  it  as  bright  and  pleasing  as  its  predeces. 
sors. 

Five  Little  Peppers  in  the  Little  Brown  House. 
Here  they  all  are,   Ben,  Polly,  Joel,  Phronsie,  and  David,  in  the  loved 
"Little  Brown   House,"  with  such  happenings  crowding  one  upon  the 
other  as  all  children  delightedly  follow,  and  their  elders  find  no    less 
interesting. 

LOTHRGP,   LEE  &  SHEPARD   CO.,   Boston 


A  Little  Maid  of  Boston  Town 

By  MARGARET  SIDNEY 

12mo     Cloth     Illustrated  by  FRANK  T.  MERRILL     $1.50 


— — »  HPHE  opening  chapters  introduce  us  to 
^s=^  *  old  Boston  in  England.  Margaret 
Sidney  went  there  in  1907  and  absorbed 
the  atmosphere  of  Cotton  Mather's  "  St. 
Botolph's  Town,"  gathering  for  herseli 
facts  and  traditions.  Then  " St.  Botolph's 
Town  "  yields  its  scenic  effects,  and  the 
setting  of  the  story  is  changed  to  Boston 
Town  of  New  England. 

The  story  is  absorbing,  graphic,  and 
truly  delightful,  carrying  one  along  till  it 
seems  as  if  actual  participation  in  the 
events  had  been  the  lot  of  the  reader.  The  same  naturalness 
that  is  so  conspicuous  in  her  famous  "  Pepper  Books  "  marks 
this  latest  story  of  Margaret  Sidney's.  She  makes  characters 
live  and  speak  for  themselves. 

It  is  an  inspiring,  patriotic  story  for  the  young,  and  contains  striking 
and  realistic  pictures  of  the  times  with  which  it  deals. — Sunday  School 
Magazine,  Nashville. 

The  author  presents  a  story,  but  she  gives  a  veracious  picture  of  con- 
ditions in  the  town  of  Boston  during  the  Revolution.  Parents  who  are 
seeking  wholesome  books  can  place  this  in  the  front  rank  with  entire 
safety.— Boston  Globe. 

Surely  Margaret  Sidney  deserves  the  gratitude  of  many  a  child,  and 
grown-ups,  too,  for  that  matter,  in  telling  in  so  charming,  yet,  withal,  so 
simple  a  manner,  of  these  early  days  in  this  country.  —  Utica  Observer. 

A  really  thrilling  tale  of  the  American  Revolution.  Interesting  for 
both  old  and  young. — Minneapolis  journal. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers  or  seat  postpaid  on  receipt  of 
price  by  the  publishers 

L0THR0P,  LEE  &  SHEPARD  CO.,  Boston 


THE  JUDGES'  CAVE 

M  Rmasa  »/  the  New  Haven  Colony  in  the  Daps 
of  the  Regicides 

Br  MARGARET  SIDNEY' 
samOb      Clothe      Illustrated.      $1.9$ 

There  are  few  more  fascinating  pharos  of  colonial  history  than  that 
which  tells  the  wanderings  and  adventures  of  the  two  judges  who, 
because  they  sat  in  judgment  over  that  royal  criminal,  Charles  the 
First  of  England,  were  hunted  out  of  England  into  hiding  in  New 
England,  and  there  remained,  a  mystery  and  fugitives,  in  their  cele- 
brated cave  in  New  Haven  Colony.  Marcia,  the  heroine,  is  a  strong 
and  delightful  character,  and  the  book  easily  takes  high  rank  among 
the  most  effective  and  absorbing  stories  based  upon  a  dramatic  phase 
of  American  history. 


THE  UTTLE  MAID  OF  CONCORD  TOWN 

d  Romance  of  the  American  Revolution 

B?  MARGARET  SIDNEY 

wamh  doth.     Illustrated  by  F.  T.  MerrflS 
Price,  $1.50 

A  defightfol  revolutionary  romance  of  fife,  love,  and  adventure  in 
old  Concord.     The  author  knows  the  interesting  town  thoroughly. 

Debby  Parlin,  the  heroine,  lived  in  a  little  house  on  the  Lexington 
Road,  stilt  standing,  and  was  surrounded  by  all  the  stir  and  excitement 
of  the  months  of  preparation  and  the  days  of  action  at  the  beginning 
of  our  struggle  for  freedom. 


SALLY, 
Mrs.  TUBBS 


An  amusing  and  sympathetic  study  of  a  Ne<zv  England 
woman  of  bumble  station,  but  noble  character. 

By  MARGARET  SIDNEY,  author  of  the  Famous  "  Pepper  " 
books,  etc. 


CHICAGO  RECORD=HERALD  says: 

What  can  be  said  is,  that  those  who  have  read  "  Mrs.  Wiggs  " 
will  purchase  "  Sally,  Mrs.  Tubbs."  The  author  of  this  pleasant 
story,  who  is  Margaret  Sidney  of  the  "  Pepper  "  books  renown, 
has  rightly  dedicated  this  tale  for  grown-ups  to  "  all  who  love 
simplicity,  truth,  and  cheerfulness."  These  virtues  characterize 
Sally  Plunkett,  whose  soul-devouring  ambition  was  "  to  have 
'Bijah  Tubbs  fer  life." 

As  a  chapter  out  of  human  life  "  Sally,  Mrs.  Tubbs  "  is,  per- 
haps, as  good  as  "  Mrs.  Wiggs."  Regarded  artistically,  it  shows 
the  workmanship  of  a  more  practised  hand;  it  has  a  plot,  and 
this  plot  pleasantly  complicated,  and  thus  differs  from  its  next 
of  kin.  We  judge  that  Sally  and  her  'Bijah,  who,  though  little, 
is  "  sizable  "  enough  to  meet  her  wants,  will  make  the  acquaint- 
ance of  those  who  like  a  book  that  is  not  over-intellectualized 
nor  yet  lacking  in  soundness  of  heart  and  penetrating  vision 
into  human  nature.  "  Sally,  Mrs.  Tubbs  "  will  furnish  a  hearty 
laugh  and  a  quickened  sensibility. 

BOSTON  TRANSCRIPT  says: 

As  a  brief  character-sketch,  "  Sally,  Mrs.  Tubbs  "  deserves  no 
little  praise  for  its  geniality  and  its  humor. 

BOSTON  HERALD  says: 

This  short  story  of  180  pages  is  captivating  from  start  to  finish, 
and  the  masculine  reader  takes  off  his  hat,  and  the  feminine 
reader  courtesies,  to  this  matron  of  the  tubs,  with  her  homely 
heroism  and  true  kindness  of  heart. 

I2mo.    Picture  Cover.    Postpaid,  $J.OO. 


Lothrop,  Lee  &  Shepard  Co.,  Boston 


By  EDNA  A.  BROWN 

Illustrated  by  Norman  Irving  Black      Large  12mo 

Decorated  cover      $1.50 


A  BOOK  for  girls,  and  boys  as  well,  from 
thirteen  to  sixteen.  Louise  and  her  three 
brothers  are  the  "Four  Gordons,"  and  the  story 
relates  their  experiences  at  home  and  school 
during  the  absence  of  their  parents  for  a  winter 
in  Italy.  The  interest  centres  in  certain  school 
episodes  bearing  upon  problems  of  student 
government.  There  is  plenty  of  fun  and  frolic, 
with  skating,  coasting,  dancing,  and  a  jolly 
Christmas  visit.  The  conversation  is  bright  and 
natural,  the  book  presents  do  improbable  situa- 
tions, its  atmosphere  is  one  of  refinement,  and  it 
has  the  merit  of  depicting  simple  and  wholesome  comradeship  between 
boys  and  girls. 


"The  story  and  its  telling  are  worthy  of  Miss  Alcott. 
sexes  will  enjoy  it." — JV.  2".  Sun. 


Young  -folks  of  both 


"  The  characters  are  natural,  fun-'oving  young  people;  and  the  thoroughly 
wholesome  comradeship  between  the  boys  and  girls  is  very  charming.  An  at- 
mosphere of  genuine  refinement  pervades  the  entire  story." — TVezv  Orleans  Times, 

"  There  are  plenty  delightful  episodes  of  fun,  frolic  an  i  adventure,  while 
skating,  coasting  and  dancing,  all  brought  out  with  much  skill  with  an  air  of 
refinement  pervading  all." — Rochester  Herald. 

"The  tale  is  full  of  life  and  jollity  and  the  people  and  incidents  are  entirely 
possible." —  Christian   World. 

"It  is  a  hearty,  wholesome  story  of  youthful  life  in  which  the  morals  are  never 
explained  but  simply  illustrated  by  logical  results." — Christian  Register. 

"One  of  the  thoroughly  human  and  so  delightful  and  rewarding  books  is 
'Four  Gordons.'  '* — Milwaukee  Free  Press. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  seat  postpaid  on  receipt  of 
price  by  the  publishers 

LOTHRGP,   LEE   &    SHEPARD    CO.,    Boston 


MOTHER  TUCKER'S  SEVEN 

By  ANGELINA  W.  WRAY 

Illustrated  by  Elizabeth  Withington 
Large  12mo    Cloth    $1.25 

HERE  is  a  story  that  appeals  to  one  in- 
stantly, and  which  contains  the  same  ele- 
ments that  have  made  the  famous  ^'Pepper 
Books"  the  success  that  they  are,  the  merry, 
active  Jife  of  a  loving  family  forced  to  find 
pleasure  in  most  economical  ways,  but  never 
letting  it  prevent  very  great  happiness  in  each 
other,  and  the  resolute  overcoming  of  obsta- 
cles. "Mother  Tucker"  is  the  refined,  deli- 
cate widow  of  a  country  clergyman  who  has 
lost  his  life  in  an  act  of  heroism,  and  the  seven 
children  are  of  varying  ages,  but  all  are  busy 
and  cheery.  How  the  boys  plan  to  earn  money, 
how  love  for  her  own  family  proves  stronger 
than  the  attraction  of  wealth  to  pretty  Molly, 
and  what  even  little  Martha  can  do,  must  be  read  to  be  appreciated, 
and  one  need  not  be  ashamed  of  wet  eyes  when  "  Merry  "  wins  a  prize 
on  a  piece  written  in  secret  by  her  kind  oldest  sister.  They  deserve 
every  bit  of  the  good  fortune  that  comes  to  them. 


"  It  is  a  good,  healthy  story,  and  breathes  a  cheery  optimism  which  may 
bring1  courage  to  others  who  are  similarly  circumstanced." — Springfitld 
Republican. 

"The  book  is  full  of  the  wholesome  every-day  matters  of  a  poor  family, 
beautified  by  an  unvarying  spirit  of  bravery  and  cheerfulness." — New  Tork 
Times. 

"  This  is  an  appealing  story  of  real  merit  and  those  elements  of  life  which 
are  bound  to  win,  not  only  popularity  for  the  author, but  also  esteem  and  sue. 
cess  for  those  who  are  influenced  by  it."— Religious  Telescope,  Dayton,  O. 


For  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  seat  postpaid  on  receipt  of 
price  by  the  publishers 

LOTHROP,  LEE  &  SHEPARD  CO.,  Boston 


